All Work and No pay…..

I have, for the past 2 and 1/2 years ran a childcare out of my home.  My common law husband and I had our son in Feb of 2007 and as of Jan 2008 I have operated a childcare as my own business and as my primary source of income.

At first I ran a Registered License Not Required Childcare and everything worked out great. When my son was at the age of  3 months, he and I joined a “mommy and me” group and I quickly found clients to fill my future business venture.  These were not only clients but friends.  We came to know one another and see each other outside of the childcare setting.  I could trust them.

Then my husband and I decided to purchase a home together and everything changed.  I, having lived in Port Coquitlam for 5+ more consecutive years, moved to the city of Abbotsford, where I knew no one and away from all my childcare clients.  Starting my childcare business was a challenge but I went about it the right way, the legit way.  I became a fully licensed family child care with the Fraser Health Authority in the beginning of June 2009 and I can honestly say that things have gone downhill from there.

I have spent the time to jump though the ministry`s hoops, had the proper training, first aid, criminal record checks, home safety inspection and fire inspections.  I provide a safe, fun environment for children and feel like I deserve to get paid for the work that I do.  I have had nothing but problems with families paying their childcare bill.

I currently have 6 children enrolled in my childcare.  Not all children come every day.. I have a few that come on a part time basis, but those families are the ones that seem to have their shit together.  I have one mother, single mother, I might add, who brings her son 2 days per week.  She is a student at the local university and I receive childcare subsidy payments for her son to attend my childcare.   I must say that this single mother has her shit together more than any other family that I deal with on subsidy.  She does not receive full payment for her son`s childcare but every month she pays her portion, on time, every time.  Right now, as I speak I am owed over $1000.00 in childcare payments from other families that I deal with that can not seem to get their shit together.

To you, this may seem like a bunch of bitching and moaning but a month before Christmas and the fact that some days I am working 10 hour days, it is nothing more than serious.  I have been watching peoples children on a daily basis, changing their children`s diapers, wiping their noses, making sure that they are fed, dry, happy, safe and am owed money for doing so.  Parents need to realize that childcare providers are the ones that are there caring for their children when they are not and they need to be paying their childcare bills.  When you sign a contract…… read the terms of that contract… if you do not want to pay…..realize that in the future there could possibly be a consequence for your decision.  I will take you to court and fight for what is mine.  I do not watch peoples children for free while they go and line their bank accounts and how dare they think that I would.  PERIOD!

Crackdown on Crime?

Today I received a ‘leaflet’ in the mail from my local MP, James Moore regarding which political party is on the right track when it comes to crime in this country. The main point of the leaflet is “Age Is No Excuse.” That just because an offender of a crime is a youth, they should be treated no less than an adult (depending on the severity of the crime… of course.) The point of this leaflet was to choose a political party member who you thought was “on the right track” at combating crime. I was seriously baffled at the notion of having to decide which political party leader was ‘on the right track’….. but here were the options…..

• Stephane Dion
• Stephen Harper
• Jack Layton
• Elizabeth May

I personally wondered where the “NONE OF THE ABOVE” check box was and quickly realized that there was not one and decided to write Mr. James Moore a letter, letting him in on my view of the Criminal Justice System in this country. The following was sent to his office….

July 25, 2008

Re: “Above the Law” leaflet

To James Moore, MP

Your office recently mailed out a leaflet entitled “Above the Law” asking the citizens of Port Moody, Westwood and Port Coquitlam a question regarding the Criminal Justice System in this country. Your leaflet asked “Who do you think is on the right track on crime?” Well, Mr. Moore, my answer would have to be none of the above. The criminal Justice System in this country is a complete joke. Not only for the light sentences of youth AND adult offenders but for failing the victims of crime as well.

First of all we have our Attorney General, Wally Oppal who seems to come up with excuse after excuse regarding the way that criminals in this country are sentenced. I have contacted him on several occasions regarding the dragging death of Grant De Patie and the reduced sentence of youth offender Darnel Pratt. Now we find out that Mr. Pratt seems to be in some more trouble after assaulting another inmate while incarcerated. The reduction of his sentence now in hind sight seems rather wrong, don’t you think?

I also contacted Mr. Oppal in regards to the Oak Bay murder / suicide involving Mr. Peter Lee. Mr. Lee had assaulted his wife prior to the murders and was arrested for causing bodily harm and aggravated assault. Police made recommendations to the court that he remain in custody. Instead Mr. Lee was released on bail with numerous court orders not to contact his wife, enter the home, or posses any weapons. But did that protect Ms. Park and her family? No. Now every politician, judge and police officer in this country should carry that family’s blood on their hands for not ensuring their safety and for not making the laws around sentencing these offenders more strict.

And lastly ( I could go on, but I will not take up any more of your time) I would like to mention Mayor Scott Young. I am a resident of Port Coquitlam. I grew up in this town and have lived here for the majority of my life. I am also a victim of domestic violence and assault. I do not appreciate the fact that the Mayor of my hometown has been charged and convicted of assault and continues to remain Mayor of this city. I do not appreciate his pompous attitude regarding the matter either. That right there shows you just how screwed up this system is.

I was beaten by my now ex-boyfriend. He gave me two black eyes, choked me, held me against my will for over an hour while confining me and threatening to kill me. After fleeing the scene he was found by police, appeared before a judge and was released on bail with numerous court orders not to contact myself or my family. While awaiting trial he breached those conditions on numerous occasions to the point where I had to have my phone number changed. Each time he breached those conditions I called the RCMP officer in charge of my file to inform him of what was going on and every time I would have to leave a voicemail because he was never available to speak to me in person. By the time the date of the trial came my ex decided to play it safe and accept a plea bargain. He pled guilty and in return the crown sentenced him to a few days in jail. At that time my ex had an extremely lengthy criminal record. He is a career criminal. His mother has informed me that to this day he is still in and out of jail on a regular basis. And you want to know why this is? Because every single time he commits a crime in this country all he gets is a slap on the wrist, released on bail, court conditions that he can breach because he knows he can get away with it, and a minor sentence EVERY SINGLE TIME. And now I have a Mayor that is convicted of assault and I am expected to take him seriously? Please!

There is a lot that needs to be done about the Criminal Justice System in this country Mr. Moore regardless of the offenders age and I believe those changes can not come soon enough. All the offenders mentioned above, regardless if they are a youth offender or an adult seem to think that they are “Above the Law.” As for if any of the candidates mentioned on your leaflet are on the right track against crime in this country? I guess only time will tell.

I thank you for your time.

Thats my take on the system…….

A Dumpsterless Vancouver?

There has been talk in Vancouver lately about removing the dumpsters that line the city’s alleyway’s in an attempt to beautify and clean up the city. Local businesses are on board with the idea claiming it would create a crime free environment. The Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Association found that the majority of dumpsters in Vancouver were vandalized, filthy and filled with needles.

Hmmm… lets think about that for a moment. Don’t you think the City of Vancouver has far more pressing issues to be dealing with right now than the removal of dumpsters from the alleyway’s? How about the situation of the Downtown Eastside and the people who inhabit that area on a daily basis? What will happen to them? Where does the DVBIA think all these needles will end up? Will they just disappear? I think not. Take a browse at Matthew Good’s view of the area… a area in which he lives. People suffering from mental illnesses, unable to “legally” treat their illness and forced out on the street to fend for themselves. What will happen to the people who rely on these dumpsters to earn a living and find a meal. As “gross” as that may sound to some… that is reality. I am sure that Mr Sam Sullivan has more important things to be thinking about… and if you ask him…. he would probably end up saying…. ummm “The Olympics”?

Oust Mayor Scott Young

Yesterday I attended a petition signing to oust the Mayor of Port Coquitlam…… Scott Young. The mayor was recently charged with assault after he went to his former girlfriends house…. after getting drunk at a local pub…. and assaulted both her and her new boyfriend. This is not the first time that he has been in trouble with the law. He has on another separate occasion been charged with assault… involving the same ex-girlfriend. She had a restraining order against him….. which he violated.

The mayor has vowed that he would return to his mayoral duties…. and is still planning to attend this Monday’s council meeting.

Saturday at City Hall in Port Coquitlam, a group of residents held a petition signing to try to convince the Mayor that he is not welcome as the Mayor of our city anymore. Why the hell should he be? He committed an offense. I have been a victim of spousal abuse.. and I sure as hell do not approve of a man who does the same…. but is allowed to perform as Mayor of the city. Who the hell does this man think he is? Above everyone else? What sort of example does this set? That you can go ahead and beat a woman… but still secure your place as Mayor?

Every single woman who lives in Port Coquitlam should have taken the one minute out of their day to go down to City Hall to sign that petition…. and I sure as hell hope they did.

The Loop & Swap

This past weekend was a long weekend in Canada…. it was Victoria Day. We drove to Kamloops and spent the weekend there. Neil, my bf, has a couple of friends who live there so we were able to stay with them. They have two kids…. Kayla and Austin, who seemed to be fascinated with Lukas… our little son.

We also went to Shuswap Lake. Neil’s friends parents have a house there, so we spent Saturday night on the Shuswap. It’s so nice there! The houses are cheap. A lot cheaper than here in the lower mainland.

The only bad part of the whole trip was seeing the devastation that Mountain Pine Beetle has created. There are so many dead trees…. it’s really a serious problem. When we were first driving into town we could see all the trees that had turned a red/orange colour… my first thought was that they must be affected by the beetle…. and sure enough. It’s quite sad.

We are thinking of possibly moving to Kamloops in the future. The real estate prices are far cheaper than anything you could find here in Vancouver. Maybe one day I will actually have the pleasure of owning my own home!

Recycle Me This…

In this day and age with “global warming” and the state of the environment…. you would think that our community would support recycling. Well not the City of Port Coquitlam.

We live in a townhouse complex that has absolutely no recycling program. I called City Hall’s Engineering and Operations Department to find out about getting a recycling container for our unit. The lady that lives next door to us has one that she leaves outside her unit, so I figured that it wouldn’t be a problem. Occasionally I put some newspapers in her container… but I don’t want to keep using hers as once they are full thats it… the city will not take any extra… so I don’t want to fill her container up.. that just wouldn’t be fair to her. City Hall informed me that they do not supply containers and pick up from most townhouses. I told them that one of the tenants in another unit has a bin and gets hers picked up every week… so they told me to talk to the landlord. But they also informed me that I would most likely not be able to get one. When I called the landlord he told me that he does not know how she got her container but would call to see if he could get a container for us. I have not heard back from him… so I am assuming it didn’t go over to well.

I don’t understand. Wouldn’t the City of Port Coquitlam want the residents to recycle? Do they not give a shit about the environment? Would they rather I throw all of my garbage into our dumpster? I can’t believe that I am having such a problem trying to get a recycling container and pick up service where the service already exists…. I have even offered to pay for one and still no luck. This goes to show that much more awareness is needed when it comes to protecting our planet.