Locally, there are now six new webcams in Surrey at King George Boulevard at Highway 99 looking north, south, east, and west.  Two additional cameras were also installed on Highways 99, north of 32^nd Avenue diversion, looking north and south.  These six new webcams are going to allow Surrey residents to plan their journeys ahead of time to avoid traffic or bad weather conditions.

For more information and to check out current conditions on B.C. highways, visit: www.drivebc.ca.

As responsible consumers, we need to educate ourselves about the rights and responsibilities that we all share in the marketplace. Not just being informed about the products we are buying, but also, being responsible with the amount of money we spend.

Buying on credit can be a convenient way to shop – and certainly, access to credit cards has been made easier as well.  However, having a credit card means, as consumers, we have a responsibility to be aware of the interest rates, payment due dates, and other financial aspects attached to the card. If ignored, fees, finance charges, and interest rates can increase your debt substantially, even over short periods of time. This is just one example of helpful information that you will be able to find during Consumer Awareness Week’s “Take Five Tips.”  To access the daily tips you can go to:  www.consumerprotectionbc.ca.

On March 15, we celebrated World Consumer Rights Day which promotes consumers’ basic rights around the world. For more information you can go to: www.consumersinternational.org.

I hope you’ll take a moment to consider your rights and responsibilities as a consumer, and that this week encourages all of us to be responsible with our money.

We are proudly making senior’s a priority in B.C.and our province would be the first jurisdiction in Canada to create an Office of the Senior’s Advocate if legislation is enacted.

The Senior’s Advocate Act includes the creation of an Office of the Seniors’ Advocate that will look out for seniors in B.C. By monitoring services, consulting with seniors, family members, service providers, and policymakers the senior’s advocate will promote accessibility and accountability for senior’s care. By making it an independent office, the Office of the Senior’s Advocate would be allowed to make recommendations to government while also reviewing government policies for seniors. The advocate would truly be working for the interest of seniors and their well-being.

It is no longer good enough to say we are putting seniors first; actions speak louder than words, and we know the Senior’s Advocate Act is the right step in the right direction. We are pleased to have introduced this piece of legislation and we hope it will receive the support it needs to make it a reality.

For more information, visit: www.seniorsbc/seniorsadvocate.