January 2005 - Vol Five, No.2

History Helps, Volume Five, Number 2, January 2005
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Weather for the New Year

“COLD SNAP AGAIN HITS DELTA

While the Delta has not had as much snow as have other parts of the Fraser Valley, it has been experiencing the lowered temperatures that have been general throughout B.C. Snowfall in the municipality was light in comparison to the many inches that Vancouver and valley points got, a total of about five inches having fallen since Monday [three days ago].

The temperature dropped to its lowest point for this winter on Monday morning, when it reached 17 degrees above zero [Fahrenheit]. Succeeding days have been warmer, the next lowest point being 22 degrees on Tuesday morning and the same on Thursday morning.

Skating was possible at many places on the Delta on Monday night, but only water lying on fields was frozen thick enough for this pastime. A thin crust had formed on sloughs and ditches but was not thick enough to hold skaters. Snow on Tuesday soon put a stop to skating and with more snow on Wednesday and Thursday all prospects of more skating have vanished for the time being.”

Source: The Weekly Optimist, 17 January 1935, page one.

A Website Containing Persons of Note

A subscriber suggested the Dictionary of Canadian Biography On-line as a source for Canadian history. This is a website that I hadn’t come across before and after a little exploration I could tell I could get lost there for hours of browsing. Thanks, Gray.

Find it at http://www.biographi.ca/EN/index.html

Old Age Pension Restrictions

“What Senior Folk May Possess With Pension

BY SENATOR TOM REID

British Columbia has 38 per cent of its aged citizens on pension, and is slightly below the average but lower than any of the other provinces. These variations reflect to some extent on the relative economic circumstances of the aged in the different parts of Canada.

It is not difficult however to accept the inference from these figures, that the percentage of pensioners in Ontario and British Columbia is relatively low because there are more aged persons in these provinces who are able to maintain themselves, without assistance.

How Much Income?
As considerable doubts seem to exist in regard to how much income one can have and still obtain old age pension, perhaps it might be well at this time if this were explained. Current income is assessed on its actual value as determined by the provincial pension authorities and current income means cash earned by the applicant, or the recipient, either by working for the same, or cash which they may receive through bonds, rents, or other assets.

For instance, a male pensioner aged 70 or over, who applies and has say $1,000 in cash or bonds, is dealt with in the following manner:

The first $250 of the thousand would not be reckoned, a calculation would then be made with respect to the balance viz., $750. The $750 would be calculated to purchase a Dominion annuity amounting to around $76 per year and as the total allowable income, under the present Old Age Pension Act is $600 for a single man the fact that he has $1000 in cash would not prevent him from obtaining full pension.

On the other hand, a man and wife, owning personal property valued at $7,500 could obtain old age pension, and would still be entitled to a partial pension of over $400 annually. This is mentioned by way of information to those who believe that aged people must be destitute and have no property before obtaining an old age pension, and a review of what is being done by the pension authorities reveals an entirely different story.

If an estate passes to another pensioner the Federal government in its agreement with the provinces stipulate [sic] that no claim can be made against such an estate. On the other hand if a man and his wife are both on pension, no claim is permitted against the estate of either one until the death of both and then the claim is limited to the actual pension paid to the spouse who is the last to die.

Few Estate Recoveries
As a matter of fact recoveries from the estates of pensioners only amounted last year to 1/2 of 1% of the amount paid out. British Columbia is the only province to provide figures giving the actual number of claims lodged by the various provincial pension authorities.

The latest estimate of the number of aged persons, over 70, in Canada is in the neighbourhood of 650,000. Of this number 285,000 are personally in receipt of benefits under our present Old Age Pension Act. There is probably no single piece of legislation, which so directly affects in one way or another, the welfare of our aged people, as does this piece of legislation.”

Source: The Ladner Optimist, 26 May 1950, page 9.

A Cemetery for Vancouver

“BURRARD INLET CEMETERY

On Thursday the hon. [sic] provincial secretary met some of the leading citizens of Granville, Moodyville and Hastings and had a conference with them respecting the location of a cemetery.

A site was agreed upon on the Granville and North Arm road, about midway between the North Arm and Burrard Inlet. It is intended to set apart 20 or 25 acres here, and the place will serve the people of both communities.

The want of a cemetery convenient to Burrard Inlet has been long felt, and the people have on several occasions expressed a desire that a suitable place should be provided. Hitherto they have been compelled to come all the way to this city [New Westminster], which was both expensive, and sometimes extremely inconvenient.

Mr. Geo. Turner (Woods & Turner) has been instructed to survey and define the limits of the new cemetery at once.”

Source: The British Columbian, 06 December 1884, page three.

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Gwen Szychter, M.A.

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