Kevin Laliberte
Editor, Smoky River Express

Project Porchlight is coming to Falher and Donnelly! This award-winning energy efficiency campaign works from the grassroots in communities across Canada to spread the message that simple actions can make a big difference when it comes to conserving energy and helping the environment. Leading the way to promote the “green-based” program is Katimivik. Katimavik is Canada’s leading national youth volunteer service program and has been serving Canadian communities since 1977. The group’s presence and its positive contributions have been felt within the Smoky River region for the past year. Katimavik’s mission is to foster the personal development of our nation’s young people through a challenging program of volunteer community work, training and group interaction. The group is presently soliciting the help of volunteers from Falher and Donnelly neighbourhoods to distribute free compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs to households across Falher and Donnelly. Altogether they plan on distributing more than 350 free compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs by way of door-to-door delivery, which is fun and easy. It’s not a big time commitment (a few hours maximum) and the whole family can help! Worth mentioning is the fact that CFL bulbs use 75 per cent less electricity than older, less energy efficient incandescent bulbs. By installing them you’ll be using energy wisely and saving money on your electricity bill. Talk about a win-win situation! It’s also interesting to point out that if every household in Alberta replaced just one incandescent bulb with a CFL bulb, Albertans would save 65 million dollars and enough to natural gas to heat 8,400 homes for an entire year! Project Porchlight is sponsored by EnCana Corporation and the Government of Alberta. Its partners include Shaw Cable, Climate Change Central, the Kiwanis Club, and the 4-H Foundation of Alberta. Be a light in your community and get involved and help Katimivik spread the word- and the light bulbs! For more information, visit www.onechange.org, or contact Kate Maunder at (780) 837-2247. Tax Cuts for Canadian families: a good deal for the Peace Country The federal government is establishing a proud legacy of added tax relief to Canadians. That was the message from Canada’s federal government last week after an announcement was made bringing taxes to their lowest level in nearly 50 years. This Conservative government introduced an additional $60-billion in broad-based tax cuts for all Canadians. The translation will mean more money in our pockets and more freedom for businesses to create jobs and make further investments. Highlights of the economic statement include: . Reducing the GST rate to 5 per cent from 6 per cent, effective Jan. 1, 2008, representing some $6 billion in annual savings for consumers. . Increasing the amount all Canadians can earn without paying federal income tax to $9,600 in 2007 and 2008 and to $10,100 in 2009. . Reducing the lowest personal income tax rate to 15 per cent from 15.5 per cent as of January 1, 2007. . Reducing small business income tax to 11 per cent in 2008, one year ahead of schedule. . And making ongoing corporate income tax reductions that will bring the tax rate down to 15 per cent by 2012, from more than 22 per cent today.

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