The House of Commons has unanimously passed Bill C-228 to protect pensions in the event of a company bankruptcy. It has now moved on for Senate approval.
This bill would mean that pension assets have to be paid first before shareholders if a business should go under. While I tend to be a bit of a doomsday person myself, I don’t think it is going overboard to try to get this protection. We worked hard for those pensions and want to keep getting those cheques.
Angelina Jolie, ambassador
If you want increased empathy with people from other parts of the world, you could read Angelina Jolie’s Notes from My Travels. In 2001, Jolie was appointed Goodwill Ambassador for the UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR).
In this capacity she visited refugee camps in Africa, Cambodia, Pakistan, and Ecuador. Jolie’s book not only lets you in on her life but also on the problems faced by the UNHCR workers. This famous actress shows us that being a Hollywood star does not keep a person from being a caring human being.
Visits to hospitals and care homes
I am passing on a reminder from Northern Health. People are still required to be vaccinated, screened for illness, and wear masks if they wish to visit people in our hospital or care home. Patients do not need to be vaccinated. There are no barriers to patients when they arrive at the hospital.
Shingles vaccine
On a Zoom call recently, a nurse from Saskatchewan mentioned there was a second shingles vaccine available. When I checked with local pharmacies, they did have the vaccine. You have to pay for it yourself but might be able to get refunded if you have an extended medical plan.
Liquid sunshine
In the winter when I open the fridge, I often take a swig of some thick liquid from a bottle. No, it is not alcohol; it is Arctic cod liver oil. I am not too good at swallowing big pills so I buy the liquid kind. And, of course, it tastes awful just as it did when I was a kid, so I take a sip now and then instead of putting it off.
Quote of the week
“The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honourable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson
Ruby McBeth lives and writes in Fort St. John.
