Gordon Campbell resigned as Premier of British Columbia and Leader of the Liberal Party this morning in Vancouver. He has served as member of the BC Legislature for 16 years and as Premier since 2001. Prior to his election to the BC Legislature he also served 3 terms as Mayor of Vancouver. We wish to recognize Mr. Campbell's many years of public service and thank both him and his wife and family for the many hours of time and energy that he has given in service to British Columbia. We pray God's blessing upon Mr. Campbell and his wife as they move forward into a new chapter of their lives.
The BC Liberals will be choosing an interim leader who will act as Premier until a new leader can be chosen. We encourage our many ministry friends and prayer partners to make this matter a significant prayer focus as the decision will affect our province in very significant ways.
From the Victoria Times Colonist
B.C. communities inundated by mudslides and flooding over the weekend were barely able to take stock of what hit them as they braced for another storm heading their way Sunday night.
The B.C. River Forecast Centre was predicting that already-swollen and overflowing rivers were in danger of flooding their banks again as the storm was predicted to hit.
“Another active system is expected to arrive on the coast this evening,” the centre warned Sunday. “Forecast precipitation totals for the next front are lower than those received over the past two days, but are still significant. … River levels are expected to begin to rise again overnight.” Read entire article
Heavenly Father, we pray for those affected by these serious storms on Vancouver Island and the Central Coast. We ask that you would keep people safe from harm and that your grace would be sufficient for them. We ask that you would help those providing and coordinating emergency services. Give them your wisdom to be able to quickly assess needs and to provide solutions that will ease the situation for everyone concerned. Keep workers safe from harm as they seek to bring assistance.
Amen!
Many regions of our province are experiencing high temperatures and a lack of rain. As happens every summer, these conditions result in extreme forest fire hazards. As of this writing, there is a fire in the Lillooet area that is causing great concern because of the terrain. There is also the possibility of thunderstorms through the Interior later today. Please pray with us that those who are fighting fires will be kept safe, that no property damage will result from any fires currently burning and that the expected thunderstorms later today will bring only much needed rain.
Heavenly Father, You rule over the weather and it is subject to Your command. Lord you know that it is very hot and dry in many parts of our province. While we enjoy the summer weather, we also recognize that the forests are very dry and the fire hazard is extreme. We ask today that you will protect our forests and spare us from serious fires at this time. We pray that the expected storms in the Interior this afternoon and evening will only bring much needed rain.
We ask this in Jesus Name, Amen
An accident has started a large fire in a hog field at the Tolko sawmill in Armstrong, B.C. The BC Ministry of Forestry was called at around 3 p.m. Armstrong Mayor Chris Pieper saw a plume of smoke around 4 p.m. and drove to the scene. “It was a big fire,” Pieper said. “It's not a little fire. The hog field pile — the bark debris from the barking operations — that was what was on fire. There were some logs from the log yard on fire as well. I didn't see any buildings on fire.”
It is believed the flames spread into several spot fires. RCMP have forced the evacuation of a trailer park on the other side of the street from Highway 97A and closed a five-kilometre section of the highway in both directions.
The BC Ministry of Forestry is on site with 11 firefighters, two helicopters and fixed-wing air tankers. The RCMP and firefighters from surrounding detachments, including Vernon, Swan Lake and Enderby are also battling the blaze.
An emergency centre has been set up at Spallumcheen municipal hall.
Canadian-owned Tolko Industries Ltd. is major producer of and marketer of lumber, veneer, plywood, oriented strand board and kraft papers, with manufacturing operations across Western Canada, according to the company's website.
Read more: http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/Major+fire+Armstrong+sawmill+trailer+park+evacuations+underway/3264272/story.html#ixzz0tQtRFxmr
Blair Lekstrom resigned today as Minister of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources. He will sit as an independent member. While there are many political ramifications in his decision, we want to encourage you to remember Mr. Lekstrom in prayer as well as those who will be affected by his decision. This includes current members of cabinet who will be shuffled, staff who will have to adapt to a new minister and the constituents of Peace River South. Click here to read Mr. Lekstrom's resignation letter.
If a visit to Victoria is in your plans this summer, consider going on our walking Prayer Tour of the Legislature as part of your vacation. We've developed the Prayer Tour to help people pray for our province and government in a creative way. The tour itself takes about an hour. The tour works great for individuals, small groups or prayer groups. If you would like to go on the tour, please contact at our office at info@praybc.com for more information.
Kash Heed resigned as Solictor General this afternoon. Please click here for details on the resignation. More importantly at this point is the question of who will become the next Solicitor General. This is a crucial role within government and it's important that someone with tremendous wisdom and insight be appointed as the next SG.
Let's be praying that as Premier Campbell deliberates as to who he will appoint, that God will give him wisdom and tremendous discernment for this very important decision.
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