The Best of The Simi Sara Show - Speculation tax figures revealed, Asian giant hornets confirmed to be buzzing in B.C. for very first time...

Chapter 1

🔥🔥 Hot question of the day 🔥🔥

✅ @SimiSara980’s 🔥 question of the day 

New figures show BC’s speculation and vacancy tax has raised $115M to date, with over 99.8% of British Columbians exempt from the tax.

Do you feel the tax is working for British Columbians? 

Yes, it helps residents

No, it’s a cash grab

 

Chapter 2

Speculation tax figures revealed

Finance Minister Carole James says the Speculation and Vacancy Tax is working the way it was intended.

The tax was brought in to tackle the housing affordability issue, targeting foreign and domestic speculators who own residences in BC but live outside the province. 

James says the tax is working the way it was designed, resulting in an eight per cent drop in housing prices. James says 99.8 per cent of British Columbians are NOT paying the tax.

The money that is being collected - 115 million dollars so far - is going into the "housing initiatives account" which communities can access to put towards new housing projects. 

Guest: Tom Davidoff

Economics professor at the UBC’s Sauder School of Business

 

Chapter 3

Deltaport’s lack of police means less than 1 per cent of containers get checked, officials say

Delta's Mayor and Police Chief are calling on the federal and provincial governments to help fund a policing program that solely looks over the biggest shipping cargo port in all of Canada.

Police Chief Neil Dubord says there's not enough enforcement for the number of containers that come through.

Delta Mayor George Harvie says that leaves things open to criminal activity - activity that this country doesn't need.

A port policing program did exist but was cut back in 1997. Mayor Harvey is taking his call for action to the Union of BC Municipalities later this month.

A few moments ago I had the chance to speak to Peter German - you’ll remember him of course as the author of those Dirty Money reports on money laundering in B.C., and he’s also a former RCMP Deputy Commissioner.

Guest: Peter German

Former RCMP Deputy Commissioner and author of the 'Dirty Money’ reports

 

Chapter 4

Asian giant hornets confirmed to be buzzing in B.C. for very first time

The invasive Asian giant hornet has been found in B.C. for the first time and the province is asking anyone who might see more of the creatures to report the sighting.

The insects can be anywhere from 3.5 to five centimetres in length. They feed on honeybees and can destroy hives.

BC's Agriculture Ministry says it's investigating how it can help beekeepers with surveillance and trapping equipment in the spring, if other hornets emerge from dormancy or are found in the area.

The hornets are common in parts of China, Korea and Japan and it's believed they arrived in B.C. with personal or commercial goods.

Guest: Gail Wallin

Executive Director, Invasive Species Council of BC

 

Chapter 5

Science With Simi

Today on Science With Simi, it’s the youngest guest we’ve ever had since we started doing this segment.

She’s 13. And her research was published earlier this year in Canada's biggest peer-reviewed journal about pediatrics.

And it’s to do with hand dryers. Nora Keegan from Calgary has found that the volume of them is damaging to children’s ears. She’s been studying this since she was just nine. 

I had a chance to catch up with her just before we came on air. Here’s our conversation.

Guest: Nora Keegan

Author of study connecting hand dryer volume and hearing loss in children

 

Chapter 6

Burnaby search and rescue team find missing Canadians in the Bahamas

We told you yesterday that a team of search-and-rescue volunteers from the Burnaby Fire Department have helped find one of three missing Canadians in the Bahamas.

We’re just learning some good news about the other two Canadians who had been missing - and here to tell us more is Jeff Clark, President of the Local 323 at the Burnaby Firefighters Association.

Guest: Jeff Clark

President of the Local 323 at the Burnaby Firefighters Association

 

Chapter 7

Speculation tax figures revealed

Finance Minister Carole James says the Speculation and Vacancy Tax is working the way it was intended.

The tax was brought in to tackle the housing affordability issue, targeting foreign and domestic speculators who own residences in BC but live outside the province. 

James says the tax is working the way it was designed, resulting in an eight per cent drop in housing prices. James says 99.8 per cent of British Columbians are NOT paying the tax.

The money that is being collected - 115 million dollars so far - is going into the "housing initiatives account" which communities can access to put towards new housing projects. 

Guest: Janet Brown

Global News Senior Reporter

 

Chapter 8

Landmark bill to protect ‘gig economy’ workers passes in California

Lawmakers in California have given final approval on a bill aimed at protecting gig economy workers, like ride-share and food delivery drivers. But reporter Alex Stone says one of the biggest players in the marketplace is already indicating it won't comply. 

Guest: Sylvia Fuller

Professor of labour and social policy at UBC

 

Chapter 9

All three Canadians missing in the Bahamas found alive by Burnaby rescue team

Great news out of the Bahamas today - all three Canadians who were reported missing have been found.

A team of Burnaby firefighters flew to the islands last weekend, and they've been working close with inspectors of the Bahamian Police.

Guest: Lt Scott Ruddy

Burnaby Fire Dept, live from Marsh Harbour on Abaco Island in the Bahamas

Chapter 1

🔥🔥 Hot question of the day 🔥🔥

✅ @SimiSara980’s 🔥 question of the day 

New figures show BC’s speculation and vacancy tax has raised $115M to date, with over 99.8% of British Columbians exempt from the tax.

Do you feel the tax is working for British Columbians? 

Yes, it helps residents
No, it’s a cash grab

 

Chapter 2

Speculation tax figures revealed

Finance Minister Carole James says the Speculation and Vacancy Tax is working the way it was intended.

The tax was brought in to tackle the housing affordability issue, targeting foreign and domestic speculators who own residences in BC but live outside the province. 

James says the tax is working the way it was designed, resulting in an eight per cent drop in housing prices. James says 99.8 per cent of British Columbians are NOT paying the tax.

The money that is being collected - 115 million dollars so far - is going into the "housing initiatives account" which communities can access to put towards new housing projects. 

Guest: Tom Davidoff

Economics professor at the UBC’s Sauder School of Business

 

Chapter 3

Deltaport’s lack of police means less than 1 per cent of containers get checked, officials say

Delta's Mayor and Police Chief are calling on the federal and provincial governments to help fund a policing program that solely looks over the biggest shipping cargo port in all of Canada.

Police Chief Neil Dubord says there's not enough enforcement for the number of containers that come through.

Delta Mayor George Harvie says that leaves things open to criminal activity - activity that this country doesn't need.

A port policing program did exist but was cut back in 1997. Mayor Harvey is taking his call for action to the Union of BC Municipalities later this month.

A few moments ago I had the chance to speak to Peter German - you’ll remember him of course as the author of those Dirty Money reports on money laundering in B.C., and he’s also a former RCMP Deputy Commissioner.

Guest: Peter German

Former RCMP Deputy Commissioner and author of the 'Dirty Money’ reports

 

Chapter 4

Asian giant hornets confirmed to be buzzing in B.C. for very first time

The invasive Asian giant hornet has been found in B.C. for the first time and the province is asking anyone who might see more of the creatures to report the sighting.

The insects can be anywhere from 3.5 to five centimetres in length. They feed on honeybees and can destroy hives.

BC's Agriculture Ministry says it's investigating how it can help beekeepers with surveillance and trapping equipment in the spring, if other hornets emerge from dormancy or are found in the area.

The hornets are common in parts of China, Korea and Japan and it's believed they arrived in B.C. with personal or commercial goods.

Guest: Gail Wallin

Executive Director, Invasive Species Council of BC

 

Chapter 5

Science With Simi

Today on Science With Simi, it’s the youngest guest we’ve ever had since we started doing this segment.

She’s 13. And her research was published earlier this year in Canada's biggest peer-reviewed journal about pediatrics.

And it’s to do with hand dryers. Nora Keegan from Calgary has found that the volume of them is damaging to children’s ears. She’s been studying this since she was just nine. 

I had a chance to catch up with her just before we came on air. Here’s our conversation.

Guest: Nora Keegan

Author of study connecting hand dryer volume and hearing loss in children

 

Chapter 6

Burnaby search and rescue team find missing Canadians in the Bahamas

We told you yesterday that a team of search-and-rescue volunteers from the Burnaby Fire Department have helped find one of three missing Canadians in the Bahamas.

We’re just learning some good news about the other two Canadians who had been missing - and here to tell us more is Jeff Clark, President of the Local 323 at the Burnaby Firefighters Association.

Guest: Jeff Clark

President of the Local 323 at the Burnaby Firefighters Association

 

Chapter 7

Speculation tax figures revealed

Finance Minister Carole James says the Speculation and Vacancy Tax is working the way it was intended.

The tax was brought in to tackle the housing affordability issue, targeting foreign and domestic speculators who own residences in BC but live outside the province. 

James says the tax is working the way it was designed, resulting in an eight per cent drop in housing prices. James says 99.8 per cent of British Columbians are NOT paying the tax.

The money that is being collected - 115 million dollars so far - is going into the "housing initiatives account" which communities can access to put towards new housing projects. 

Guest: Janet Brown

Global News Senior Reporter

 

Chapter 8

Landmark bill to protect ‘gig economy’ workers passes in California

Lawmakers in California have given final approval on a bill aimed at protecting gig economy workers, like ride-share and food delivery drivers. But reporter Alex Stone says one of the biggest players in the marketplace is already indicating it won't comply. 

Guest: Sylvia Fuller

Professor of labour and social policy at UBC

 

Chapter 9

All three Canadians missing in the Bahamas found alive by Burnaby rescue team

Great news out of the Bahamas today - all three Canadians who were reported missing have been found.

A team of Burnaby firefighters flew to the islands last weekend, and they've been working close with inspectors of the Bahamian Police.

Guest: Lt Scott Ruddy

Burnaby Fire Dept, live from Marsh Harbour on Abaco Island in the Bahamas