Scott Anderson, Member of Parliament for Vernon-Lake Country-Monashee

08/11/2026

For those with animals

08/10/2026

I think some of us have lost something over time in Canada...the ability to do things ourselves when the professionals aren't available to do them for us. We citizens are the first responders whenever something happens to us. Fire, police and emergency services are actually the second responders.

This is also true with government. Systems of government that require the "experts" (the state) to take all effective action by disallowing or discouraging civilian action cannot be relied on.

The "expert" model also presupposes that the "experts" actually know what they are doing. "Leave it to the experts" has created the addiction and mental healthcare crisis we face on our streets. "Leave it to the experts" has managed to p**s off Trump and put Canada in a far worse spot than we should be in. "Leave it to the experts" may work in technical situations, but it is historically almost always a bad idea in the social 'sciences'.

Knowing how to translate initial fear into positive action will save lives, maybe our own. Citizens should never give over their autonomy nor their critical thinking skills to the state. Not ever.

08/09/2026

“Veterans Appreciation Crosswalk”

The Legion Branch 25 will be receiving donations to pay (to The City Of Vernon) for the “Veterans Appreciation Crosswalk” in Downtown Vernon. The cost is expected to be between $8500-$10000.

People or organizations can donate via E-Transfer to

[email protected]

Some people are not comfortable with that, they can make donations by cheque payable to Legion Branch 25, or cash delivered to the Lottery Kiosk in Polson Mall. Any payments should have a notation that the funds be specified for “Veterans Appreciation Crosswalk”.

If people want to mail a check;

Vernon Legion branch 25
#242 - 2306 Highway 6
Vernon, BC
V1T 7E3

Please share this with any of your contacts. If posting it on social media, please do not include the password details for E-Transfers.

Please let me know if you have any other questions at all!

Thank you for all of your support!

Martin

Martin von Holst

Please note that this is the Armstrong crosswalk and as there is no definitive design for veteran crosswalks, Vernon's may not be the same design. I'm not privy to the design of this one (if it has been decided).

08/08/2026

Here's the reply from Mr. McGuinty, the Minister of National Defence. First, I very much appreciate his haste in getting back to me, and second, I agree with him in this case. For a variety of reasons the camp isn't suitable to receive refugees except in a massive crisis. There are far more suitable locations available in the city. Many folks have now been allowed back home with all utilities restored.

If the emergency housing need becomes dire and swamps civilian ability, that changes things of course.

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Thanks for reaching out on such an important issue. I want to assure you that I and my team, are in regular contact with Min Olszewski about what federal assets can be used to fight wildfires across the country. If BC needs access to federal assistance, they must first request it through her. That request is then scoped and actioned through Public Safety’s Government Operations Centre (GOC).

The GOC, the Regional Office and the Govt of BC in collaboration with the CAF have examined the Vernon Cadet Camp (VCC) for several years now and as recently as last Tuesday.

Currently, the VCC is not suitable for accommodations related to public evacuations, though in an extreme situation it could be temporarily used for emergency shelter.

This is understood by BC EMCR and they indicated that they would work with their advance planning unit to ensure that all provincial, commercial, and private accommodations were fully explored before adding federal facilities to their list. There is no demand for federal facilities at this time.

If there is a change in the situation on the ground, we will work quickly to ensure BC has the resources they need.

08/08/2026

B.C. declares state of emergency over wildfires
State of emergency declared

Colin Dacre
Aug 8, 2026
Castanet

The B.C. government is declaring a provincial state of emergency after a wildfire forced the entire community of Summerland to evacuate.

Kelly Greene, Minister of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness, made the announcement Saturday afternoon.

“From the start of this fire season, I have been very clear that at every step, our focus is going to be ensuring that the teams on the ground have the tools that they need to respond and save lives and protect communities,” Greene said.

“We're relying on the expert advice of emergency management professionals and the BC Wildfire Service. And today, based on that expert advice, I am declaring a state of provincial emergency.”

Greene said the state of emergency will allow the province to commandeer accommodations or bring in local travel restrictions in specific areas.

“Right now, there are no travel restrictions in place, but at this time, we're asking everyone to avoid travel to Summerland and affected communities, given the large scale of the evacuation and the number of people and emergency crews,” she said.

Greene emphasized that there are many parts of B.C. not impacted by wildfire that would be happy to welcome tourists, but directly-impacted wildfire zones should be avoided.

Premier David Eby said the province believes there are enough accommodations for evacuees, but that is a process that is still being worked through.

Cliff Chapman, BCWS director of wildfire operations, said fire conditions in the B.C. Southern Interior are like nothing they have ever seen before.

“If we recommend an evacuation order, I need to stress: now is the time to leave,” he said.

“The conditions we face in B.C. right now, in particular, in the southern third are explosive. When we see a fire start, when we see the smoke lift, we are going to be challenged, and we may see fires do what we saw on this fire last night,” Chapman said.

"Heading into this weekend, it wasn't the fires that were already on the land base," he added. "It was the fires that could potentially hit the land base. And last night, obviously, we saw the most extreme version of that."

"From a BC Wildfire Service in terms of the provincial declaration... the potential of having another fire like this in B.C. is very real."

Photo credit: Charlene de Athe
The Bald Range wildfire, viewed from Peachland, at 11 p.m. on Friday.

08/08/2026

For those of you not running from the fire, welcome to the brave new world of hypertaxation! Here's a gas tax calculator.

Will you sign the petition?Cut Gas Taxes Taxes make up about a third of the pump price in Canada. Canadians need relief and politicians could make life more affordable today by cutting the big tax…

08/08/2026

RE: Training Camp use for refugees.

In response to widespread demand I have written to the Minister of National Defence asking him to open the camp. However, I think expectations should be managed. There are dozens of kids at the camp, all with parents who expect their kids to be 100% safe. Plus, I've been informed (not confirmed) that there are ongoing ops at the camp. The camp has been used to stage firefighters, but to my knowledge there has been no use as a refugee center.

Further, the barracks - in which I've had adventures attempting to sleep - have zero privacy, minimal bathroom space, and no kitchen facilities. Most people displaced by the fire would prefer to sleep in their own campers and trailers or with friends...I've met displaced folks all over Vernon.

Having said all that, here is the letter sent earlier:
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Dear Minister McGuinty,

I am writing regarding the devastating Bradley Creek and Westside Road wildfires that are affecting many residents in the North Okanagan. Given the previous use of the Vernon Cadet Training Centre during wildfire emergencies and the facilities it offers, I respectfully request that the Department of National Defence consider whether the facility, or a portion of it, could be made available to support residents who were displaced by these fires.

I recognize that decisions regarding the use of Department of National Defence facilities are your responsibility, and I appreciate your consideration of this request during this difficult time for our community.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Regards,
Scott Anderson, MP

Vernon-Lake Country-Monashee

Room 812, Confederation Building

OTTAWA ON K1A 0A6

Phone: 613-995-3501

08/07/2026

Dear MP Anderson,

Thank you for reaching out to share the concerns of residents affected by the Bradley Creek wildfire and for your ongoing work and support for the community during this difficult time. We understand the immense stress and financial hardship these families are facing, and we are actively working to ensure our customers receive the necessary support.

Part of our crisis response includes a complementary 50GB data top-up to help keep families connected. SMS messages with more details have already been sent to customers, along with information regarding bill credits or suppression; these credits will be dependent on the length of the evacuation order.

TELUS has already deployed 250 disaster relief kits over the past several weeks to support individuals and families displaced by wildfires across British Columbia. Our response has also included deploying 140 comfort kits to the Kal Tire Emergency Operations Centre in Vernon to support individuals specifically displaced by the Bradley Creek wildfire.

TELUS continues to connect with local organizations to understand evolving needs and how we might offer further support. Thank you again for your email, and please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any additional questions.

Warm regards,

The City of Vernon Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) has been activated to respond to the Bradley Creek FSR wildfire (K41351). Individuals displaced by evacuation orders can access Emergency Support Services (ESS) at the Reception Centre located at Kal Tire Place, 3445 43rd Avenue, Vernon. The centr...

08/07/2026

For the very latest updates on the fire and restrictions, this is the site to follow:

https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/safety/wildfire-status?utm_source=Cyberimpact&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Aug-6-EOC-Daily-Update--ESS-supports-more-than-2600-evacuees-as-wildfire-response-continues

08/07/2026

I like and admire Larry on a personal level and respect him as a steadying influence in caucus. But he's a prosecutor at heart and I wish him well in his new endeavour.