Mother's Day

Whether you have a mom, grandma, aunt, godmother, or daughter, or all of the above, chances are you have some motherly figure in your life for who you are grateful and feel like showing it. May 12th is the day to do it!
I know Kim and I both have amazing mothers and it is the least we can do to pamper them a bit for one special day out of the year, considering how much they have helped us. All the times we procrastinated and have got stuck in a jam, who has been there to help, OUR MOMS!
I'm keeping this year low budget but packed with LOVE. So here are 10 great ideas to prove your love while still keeping up with your tight budget.


#1 COOK FOR HER

If you don't already know your mom's favourite dish find out what it is and get busy.

#2 HOMEMADE CARDS

Don't bother wasting your money on a card, make her one! Whether you collage, draw, or paint something on the front she will be happy. And when she reads the personalized, heartfelt message you've written inside she will be that much more ecstatic.

#3 FLOWERS

Instead of spending $20- $40 on a beautiful bouquet of flowers, go to any gardening center and buy a hanging basket that will last all summer long!

#4 MANI / PEDI

If you haven't booked it yet the spas may be full but a gift certificate (even a homemade certificate) is just as good and if you have a specific date planned, even better! You can usually find Living Social or Groupon deals to local spas that offer amazing discounts. The time together will be relaxing for both of you.

#5 A FRAMED PHOTO TOGETHER

With all the 1 hour photo places and inexpensive frames out there you can give a very loving gift for under $10, that is sure to put a smile on her face.

                                                                                    #6 A DATE

Take her out on a date. Whether it is a bike ride around the seawall, a stroll through Queen Elizabeth Park, or a movie night, do something together and give her your undivided attention. (Unless of course you are watching a movie, then just splurge for popcorn.)

I hope these suggestions help with any last minute plans, I know I have inspired myself to test out a couple of them.

-Alex

Fair JAKE

BC Conservatives

With the BC provincial election only a couple weeks away, we know that you are left with a big decision. With so many parties vying for your affection, it is difficult to get the facts straight. So, FairJAKE is profiling the main contenders for the political crown. So far we have looked at the BC Liberals, the BCNDP and the BC Greens. This week we are presenting the BC Conservatives. Are we saving the best for last? You decide!

BC Conservatives

http://www.bcconservative.ca/

Leader: John Cummins, former federal politician, former fisherman and former teacher.

Key Issues:

·      Repeal of the Carbon Tax and increase in funding for Justice programs.

·      Trying to keep BC workers in BC by providing good wages, rather than losing them to neighbouring provinces. Support for agriculture workers, farmers and fishermen.

·      Sees the Northern Gateway Pipeline as providing more benefit than harm.

Paula Abdul would say:

            With Alberta right beside us, so many skilled workers, especially youth, are going there to work. John has been spending time in BC’s often forgotten Northern and rural communities. They need attention; there is more to BC than just the lower mainland. They believe that most new immigrants feed into larger urban spaces, leaving rural communities without a labour force. This, coupled with skilled workers leaving the province, causes for a major problem in finding qualified workers in rural areas. This is what the Conservatives want to address with their politics. Can’t get any more tangible than that.

Simon Cowell would say:

            I’m sorry. The BC Conservatives want the Northern Gateway Pipeline? Clearly they aren’t listening to the majority of people in BC. They lose. End of discussion.

Yikes! The BC Conservatives appear to be tone deaf to the major concerns of British Columbians!

 Remember, provincial parties and federal parties are different even though they may have similar names. The BC Liberals have different platforms and priorities than the Canadian Liberal Party, as do the BC Conservatives from their national counterpart.

Although I have profiled four parties in this exposé, there are many, many more parties to vote for. Check out this link to find out which party suits your values best:

http://www.elections.bc.ca/docs/fin/Registered-Political-Parties-Information.pdf

Not all parties are in each area of the province. Make sure you know what is available in your riding. This is easy… just take a walk around your neighbourhood and read the election signs.

Some political candidates run without a party too. These are called independents. There are definitely benefits to voting for an independent. Independent MLAs do not have to follow party lines and can vote for what they think will be best for their community. However, they have less power to be effective in parliamentary decision making.

Make your decision on May 14 count! Do your research, learn about the parties, the candidates and your community. 

-Lisa

The BC Greens

The Battle Rounds continue! (Whoops… it now appears I am channelling a different show….) In past posts we have discovered the solid pockets of the BC Liberal parties and the golden heart of the BC NDP.

What about if you treasure a green thumb? Ladies and Gentlemen, please welcome the BC Green Party!

BC Green Party

http://www.greenparty.bc.ca/

Leader: Jane Sterk, PhD in Counselling Psychology, former small business owner, former school teacher.

Key Issues:

·      Sustainability and the environment

·      Social Justice, grassroots democracy, non-violence.

·      Power and responsibility refocused in local communities.

Paula Abdul would say:

            First of all, The Green Party has a terrifically navigable website with all its principles laid out (and trust me, I have been looking at a lot of political websites lately!) I love the focus on local communities. They also blatantly address gender equality in their core values, a surprisingly rare phenomenon.

The Green Party is like the quiet girl in those high school themed chick flicks. There are so many catfights between the popular girls that she gets overlooked. Then, at the end of the movie, we find out she was the most beautiful girl in school and the main man falls in love with her. Don’t overlook the Green Party! They have remained focused and purely devoted to their values through the election storm.

Simon Cowell would say:

             If every day was earth hour, we wouldn’t get anything done. While the idea of reducing electricity is good in theory, reality is that we need it for most daily activities. Likewise, a party that is born out of one issue cannot successfully address others; unfortunately for Jane and the Green Party, people’s lives are intersected by a number of different issues. Sure, they drop other positive buzz words (ie: “social justice”, “democracy”), but where are tangible solutions?

Although the Green Party sings like Whitney Houston, voters are getting tired of their one note song. It’s time to look into new repertoire. -Lisa