Saturday, July 5, 2008

Canada Day Gifts!!

I was lucky enough to receive several gifts on and around this year's Canada day....these were in addition to the public holiday that was very generously bestowed upon us.

1. This gift from the BC Government is the type of gift that just keeps on giving! A new Consumer based Carbon Tax that is applied to all fossil fuel purchases. This supposedly "revenue neutral" tax adds an extra 2.4 cents to every litre of gas/petrol you buy. Fantastic timing by the government given the already record high oil prices that only look to continue rising. I know most people who read this would only dream of paying $1.55 (CDN) for a litre of gas so I won't harp on too much about it for the moment. What this means for us is that a 30 minute drive to the U.S. will now save Cammie and I approximately $25 on a full tank of gas in our 4WD/SUV......a worthwhile road trip in my opinion.

2. $100 cold hard cash.....also from the BC Government!! Well not cold hard cash but a $100 Climate Action Dividend cheque for all British Colombians, to encourage us to go green. Although most people (including us) will probably spend the money on gas, there were several suggestions by the government as to what they think we should spend the $100 on. The most practical in my opinion was their suggestions to put the $100 towards the purchase of a Hybrid vehicle!!! Not sure $100 would even but the petrol cap but you have to admire their enthusiasm!!
http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=ecea1487-507c-43ef-ab88-5a972898e0b7&k=38130

3. 611 days after arriving in Canada, I am very happy to report (as much as the above points may suggest otherwise) that I should be receiving my PERMANENT RESIDENCY card later this month! It's been a long and tedious road which has included many hours of document completion, several different renewal and extension applications and more phone calls to the Canadian Immigration and Citizenship call centre than I care to remember....but we are almost across the finishing line. And, if everything goes to plan I will finally be a legal landed immigrant living without the fear of deportation just in time for the arrival on my Canadian/Australian Son.

What an exciting week it's been.....with all those gifts anyone would think Christmas had come early this year!!! ;-)

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I think your son should be recognised as Australian/Canadian (as opposed to Canadian/Australian) due to the fact that his father is Australian and generally the children take on the fathers particulars (eg.in the case of the parents having different surnames the child generally take the fathers) also due to the fact that he will be living in Canada, I think you should definately make his Australian roots known, and last but not least alphabetically as obvioulsy A comes before C in the alphabet!

Anonymous said...

I dont agree with previous comment. Since baby Thomas will be born in Canada, he should be recognized as Canadian first regardless of where the father was born.