The Republican Party is gearing up for an ambitious first 100 days, as they regain power with President-elect Donald Trump in the White House. Their extensive agenda includes renewing $4 trillion in GOP tax cuts, a hallmark of Trump's first term and a bid to shape his domestic legacy. Key issues up for debate include the renewal of expiring tax cuts, limits on food stamps, and rollbacks of green energy initiatives, all pivotal to Trump's renewed agenda. The discussions aim to address America's income inequality, alongside economic and government size concerns, amidst rising federal deficits. The GOP's plan to extend Trump's tax cuts is at the heart of their legislative focus, as Republicans outline strategies to advance their financial policies. These proposals may challenge longstanding Democratic priorities, testing the feasibility of implementing their ambitious package with minimal budgetary offsets. (With inputs from agencies.)Letters Nov. 30: Carbon tax, McKenzie-Quadra corridor, Donald Trump The Times Colonist Nov 30, 2024 4:17 AM Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Several letter-writers say they abhor photos of Donald Trump staring out at them from the newspaper. To illustrate that point, we have a photo of a hiker at Esquimalt’s Fleming Beach Park with the Olympic Mountains in the background. DARREN STONE, TIMES COLONIST Listen to this article 00:14:59 Is there are cheaper way to build a pool? Perhaps Victoria could explain this glaring difference in prices. Victoria wants to replace the Crystal Pool at an estimated cost of $210 million. A 52,000-square-foot aquatic centre being built near Edmonton is massive in comparison and is budgeted for a quarter of that, at $54 million. Something smells, and it’s not chlorine. Doug Coulson Saanich Hasham’s cheque delivery an example to all Once again, Al Hasham of Maximum Courier steps up to help the community and non-profits. This time, offering to deliver cheques for non-profits to help what the government is not doing, by allowing the Canada Post strike. Having met Hasham only a few times, it’s always at charities and fundraisers. I am told he is at these events every week. He is an example of what we could all strive to be like, giving time and resources if we are able to do so. Al is an inspiration and makes our community a much better place. Thank you, Al, for doing all you do. People like Al give us hope to make this an even greater city than it already is. Gerald Hartwig Victoria Dropping carbon tax would be a mistake Referring to Pierre Poilievre’s tax reduction plan, a Nov. 28 letter suggested that a future Prime Minister Poilievre “will do away with carbon taxes that increase prices on virtually everything we purchase,” suggesting the Trudeau government, instead of dropping the GST temporarily, “would have been wiser” to eliminate the carbon tax. That premise stands on unsupportable ground and must not be accepted uncritically. Poilievre repeatedly blames Canada’s consumer fuel charge (the carbon tax to most taxpayers) for dramatically increasing inflation in this country, including driving up the cost of food. But he’s wrong, for at least three reasons. First, Canada’s carbon tax is largely revenue-neutral — the majority of taxpayers get most, all, or more than our share of carbon tax outlays back either as rebates, or in the case of B.C., ongoing income tax reductions and low-income cash subventions that have been in place since 2008. Revenue neutrality has no net impact on inflation. Second, Bank of Canada Governor Tiff Macklem reported last year that a $15 per year increase in the per tonne tax on carbon dioxide emissions yields just a 0.15 per cent increase in the annual inflation rate, saying it’s “a relatively small effect.” And third, an insightful and comprehensive analysis just published by ­University of Calgary economists Trevor Tombe and Jennifer Winter concludes that the tax rate of $80 per tonne of CO2 emitted has boosted food costs in ­Canada by just 0.5 per cent, a tiny fraction of the 26 per cent rise in prices at the grocery store that we have seen since 2019. The high prices that are impacting all of us cannot be laid at the feet of Canada’s largely revenue-neutral carbon pricing system. Our national carbon tax program is smart policy that continues to be applauded internationally. Axing it will discourage investment in clean technologies while increasing emissions. Those are backward steps that no current or future government should ever adopt. Thomas F. Pedersen Professor emeritus University of Victoria Work with those who are traumatized Re: “Police program hurt students, costs money,” letter, Nov. 26. I find it disingenuous of the author to suggest that the Greater Victoria Teachers’ Association (GVTA) changed its position to reject the police liaison program based on evidence, not politicking. The GVTA is a political organization. Is it coincidental that the defund the police movement preceded the GVTA’s change of heart? Deciding to dump a school-based program based on stats out of the United States is asinine. Don’t forget who that country just elected, not to mention that the OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) places Canada well above the U.S. in all areas of student achievement. Let’s not look south of the border for education and law enforcement practices. I would also like to reiterate what columnist Les Leyne pointed out: why aren’t we listening to people like Mia Golden, who works directly with youth recruited through gang infiltration at schools, rather than political appointees like Kasari Govender. If the GVTA needs evidence of increased gang violence, talk to some parents. I have a friend whose son was recruited by gangs and he would be more than willing to share his story. Finally, when do we abandon programs in schools because a small minority of students don’t like them? I know lots of students who don’t like math but we don’t stop teaching math. Maybe if some students are traumatized by police in schools, we should work with those students to help them overcome those fears rather than throwing the baby out with the bath water. Jason Gammon Former president, Greater Victoria Teachers’ Association Victoria Give readers a warning about photos of that man Here’s to the idea that there be a front page notification of photos of Donald Trump appearing in the Times Colonist . The letter from Howard Brunt puts into words perfectly what is felt by me and anyone I have spoken to since his first term in office. I believe it is called fear and it does not feel good. It was likened to the feeling citizens of the world felt prior to the Second World War. Janice Graham-Andrews North Saanich Wasting mental space on that president-elect I agree with the letter from Howard Brunt, asking for a warning about photos of Donald Trump. I don’t want to avoid all news for the next four years, but I refuse to allow any mental and emotional space to the racist predator that Brunt and I abhor. Brunt’s suggestion helps us all. J. and W. Thom Saanich Another vote to scrap certain photos Howard Brunt’s request for a warning about Donald Trump photos has most assuredly earned “submission of the month.” President-elect Trump’s face is the most highly evolved emetic ever available to humanity. Taken with or without warm water and salt, it’s fast acting with almost immediate relief. Better still, how about we leave his face out of the next four years. Colin Newell Saanich Take your shot, Justin, prove what you can do If ever there was a moment for our PM to garner a measure of respect from the dwindling number of voters who still support him, the opportunity has been presented nicely from Donald Trump. Aside from the necessities of getting our national (and international) problems addressed, a strong leader would publicly defend his or her country with some reverse rhetoric directed squarely at the U.S. president, something akin to “get the (xxx) out of our house!” It’s obvious the erratic and unhinged weaponization Trump is trying to create is based on fear, chaos and mayhem within our social, political and economic environments. As Canadians across our diverse electorate would likely agree, we don’t require the neighbourhood bully to the south to rule and attempt to change our way of life. A strong leader would immediately push back, with conviction. If Justin Trudeau has any mettle, it’s showtime. Jim Gibson Saanich Plenty of value in military spending Re: “Military spending does not offer value,” letter, Nov. 28. The ill-informed opinion on military spending needs to be addressed. Without getting into the absolute necessity of adequate military spending to ensure the safety of Canada and Canadians, I have some points to address in the discussion of “value for money.” First, the Canadian military’s equipment is worn to the point of obsolescence and requires replacement. These replacements are made by Canadian subsidiaries of companies such as Lockheed Martin or General Dynamics. These dollars are fed into the Canadian economy through the people employed in our country to do the work necessary to renew the CAF and its various fleets. Second, the lifetime of these vehicles requires Canadians to maintain them. Each ship, tank, truck, rifle and aircraft is either made in Canada or maintained in Canada. Again we see some involvement from the big defence companies, but we also see Canadians employed by branch plants of Wartsilla, or General Motors, or Ford. You see a return to the economy through local shipyards like Seaspan, or specialized aircraft maintainers like Spar Aerospace all the way down to small companies like Accutemp. Then we come to the military’s own dedicated maintenance facilities like the Fleet Maintenance Facilities in Esquimalt and Halifax that employ mostly civilians to conduct more security sensitive maintenance. All of these companies employ thousands of Canadians who in turn drive local economies around military bases. Not once have I even included the actual serving members of the military themselves. There is plenty of value added to the maintenance of the Canadian Armed Forces, if you know where to look. Richard Despres, CD, MGM Langford Two per cent on defence against climate change The U.S. Department of Defense considers climate change “a critical national security threat and a top management challenge.” In fact, the department views climate change as “an existential threat to national security, similar to nuclear attacks.” “It is not a future threat, it is a threat today. Climate change is affecting global stability, military readiness, humanitarian crises, and the risk of war.” Therefore, spending to combat and mitigate climate change deserves to be classified as defence spending and should come under the two per cent of GDP umbrella. If Canada takes its obligations toward climate change seriously, it should easily be able to meet its two per cent commitment. Barrie Webster Victoria Put bicycle lanes on lesser-used routes The Esquimalt businesses who are suggesting alternative routes for bike lanes have it right. The concerns that business will dwindle if convenient parking is no longer available is correct. The silent whizzing of bikes travelling on alternative routes will bother no one. The bikers who no longer have to deal with huge traffic and exhaust from gas powered traffic will be healthier and safer. Let’s put those bike lanes in lesser used routes — it is an all-round win! Joanne Cowan Nanoose Bay Improve access to John Dean Park It is wonderful that donations have enabled the expansion of John Dean Park. However, restricting public access to any part of the park defeats the purpose. There are six-plus kilometres of lovely trails and donated money should be used to add more. The native legend of a great flood is obviously a myth. How could a flood reach nearly 1,000 feet? Restricting admittance and now renaming the park based on a myth is an insult to intent of John Dean and other donors. I am a former Dean Park resident who enjoyed many days in the park. Joan McMillan Lantzville Hard numbers needed on the McKenzie plan Concerning the future development and improvement plans for the McKenzie-Quadra corridor and related traffic flow plans (improvements?) near Shelbourne, there have been several references to the concept of traffic evaporation. What seems to me to be missing are statistics of the present human traffic utilizing McKenzie at these busy intersections. What is the present number of people transiting east-west and north-south, for example in the morning, evening, or on weekends, in units of perhaps people per hour? This would seem to be the only important metric that should either be maintained or increased by any plan. The means of transport should include all options: walking, biking, busing, and cars. Reducing the number of cars (evaporated) can only be compensated by sufficient gains in people per hour by all other means. A plan that reduces the net throughput is a failure, will cause traffic delays, and cannot be considered an improvement. Richard Dewey Gordon Head Sorry, seniors, your free rides should go For years, B.C. Ferries has been unable to keep up with the demand of maintaining its fleet of ships. Given that, I question the wisdom in giving every B.C. resident 65 and older free passage four days a week on several ferry routes, even though I am a beneficiary of that policy. I am all for seniors’ discounts; however, this 100% discount contributes to the “funding gap” in B.C. Ferries’ ability to maintain a fully functioning ferry system. Perhaps it is time to reconsider this policy. Denise M. Morton North Saanich SEND US YOUR LETTERS • Email letters to: [email protected] • Submissions should be no more than 250 words; subject to editing for length and clarity. Provide your contact information; it will not be published. Avoid sending your letter as an email attachment. See a typo/mistake? Have a story/tip? This has been shared 0 times 0 Shares Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message More Opinion Adrian Raeside cartoon: How to cope with B.C. Ferries' money shortage Nov 29, 2024 11:00 PM Letters Nov. 29: Let's make our community cleaner; persistent need for food banks Nov 29, 2024 2:41 AM Editorial: Canada could lead in fight against type 1 diabetes Nov 29, 2024 2:40 AM Featured Flyernice picture 。

First Championship goal for Peterborough United old boy and an FA Cup giant-killing goal for another ex-Posh manKinkead Dent and diverse ground game powers UT Martin past New Hampshire, 41-10 in FCS 1st round

10-man Botafogo wins its first Copa Libertadores title

LOVE Island star Laura Anderson has hit back on social media with a cryptic Instagram post, just days after rival Olivia Attwood made copying claims. Scottish star Laura Anderson appeared on the fourth series of Love Island and has now spoken to fans about 'healing' in a cryptic post. Writing across a video on Instagram, the star said: "Once you let go and decide you want a good life, the universe will start moving things to make it happen. "The people you need will appear, the healing will happen, and the doors you need will open. "Once you decide you truly are worthy, miracles will flood in." The post comes just days after fellow Love Island star Olivia Attwood teased fans with a cryptic post on Monday, claiming she had a secret that would "blow your f***ing mind." She also accused someone of copying her, with sources close to the star claiming she was talking about Laura Anderson. Initial thoughts were that Olivia meant Maura Higgins , who is currently in the jungle for I'm A Celebrity , but in fact they mean Laura as Olivia claimed someone had been 'copying her and her life' in a savage rant. An insider told The Sun : "The idea that this is about Maura Higgins is absolute rubbish. Olivia’s got no issue with Maura at all. "The truth is, this is about Laura Anderson, and people have totally got the wrong end of the stick." The source added: " Laura recently asked for the same hand tattoos as Olivia and the guy refused point-blank. "She's even been seeing Olivia's aesthetic doctor, Dr. Saleena Zimri, travelling down from Scotland just for it. "It’s obvious that she's trying to mimic Olivia’s look and it hasn’t gone unnoticed. Olivia feels like this crosses a line.” The feud between the pair is thought to go all the way back to 2018, as Olivia accused Laura of copying her style on Love Island. Olivia, who appeared the year before, later claimed Laura was trying to "steal her life ". In her latest post, Olivia failed to admit who she was talking about in her latest message, which read: "One day I'm going to write a book and some of the stuff I have managed to keep [zipped mouth emoji] on over the years. "It will blow your f***ing mind. "You can try to hire all the same people, regurgitate my stories as your own, study the playbook, follow the recipe blah blah blah, but it will NEVER taste the same. That's all." A LONG-RUNNING feud between Olivia Attwood and Laura Anderson has been reignited, with Olivia taking aim at someone she feels has been copying her look and life. From hairstyling to tattoos, the tensions between the two have simmered for years, with Olivia’s latest cryptic posts shedding new light on their rivalry. 2018 : 2019 : 2021 : 2024 :

First Quarter FIU_Joseph 1 run (Czeremcha kick), 9:48. FIU_Lyons 21 run (Czeremcha kick), 2:02. Second Quarter MTU_Willis 56 pass from Vattiato (Rankin kick), 10:40. FIU_D.Patterson 19 pass from K.Jenkins (Czeremcha kick), 8:04. FIU_D.Patterson 38 pass from K.Jenkins (Czeremcha kick), 6:14. MTU_Willis 37 pass from Vattiato (Rankin kick), 3:34. MTU_FG Rankin 35, :26. Fourth Quarter FIU_Rivers 50 pass from K.Jenkins (Czeremcha kick), 11:01. MTU_Middlebrook 1 run (Rankin kick), 7:23. INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS RUSHING_Middle Tennessee, Middlebrook 10-41, Credle 10-36, Vattiato 7-28, Wilkins 1-8, Gardner 1-8. FIU, Lyons 15-101, Joseph 11-20, K.Jenkins 5-10, D.Patterson 1-6, Owens 2-6, Jones 2-4, Jnopierre 1-(minus 1), (Team) 2-(minus 2). PASSING_Middle Tennessee, Vattiato 21-33-1-256, (Team) 0-1-0-0. FIU, K.Jenkins 19-27-0-319. RECEIVING_Middle Tennessee, Willis 6-123, Middlebrook 4-32, M.Butler 3-36, Sutton 3-20, Credle 3-7, Sherman 2-38. FIU, Rivers 7-117, D.Patterson 4-97, Fournet 4-64, Joseph 1-19, Jnopierre 1-16, Lyons 1-5, Ferguson 1-1. MISSED FIELD GOALS_Middle Tennessee, Rankin 36.

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‘This could go national’: NQ club for autistic kids seeing big resultsSteve Borthwick seems no closer to solving England’s identity crisis

Why your favorite catalogs are smaller this holiday season

Kakko's late goal lifts Rangers past Canadiens 4-3NoneKINGSTON — Appearing in the 2024 DI NCAA FCS playoffs, the Central Connecticut State University Blue Devils fell in a close 21-17 contest to No. 10 University of Rhode Island Rams on Saturday, at Meade Stadium. With the loss, Central’s season comes to an end at 7-6 after winning the NEC title last weekend as URI will move one step closer to the FCS championship, facing No. 7 Mercer (10-2) next weekend in Georgia. In the loss, CCSU quarterback Brady Olson threw two touchdown passes, both to wide receiver Isaac Boston, and running back Elijah Howard rushed for 101 yards on 19 carries. The Blue Devils defense had two takeaways as Christopher Jean and Malachi Wright each had an interception. In URI’s win, running back Malik Grant ran all over the Blue Devils defense for 223 yards on 29 carries and broke URI’s school-record for most rushing yards in a single-season. Wide receiver Tommy Smith ran for a touchdown and caught a touchdown reception in the win for the Rams. Following the loss and their season ending, CCSU coach Adam Lechtenberg said URI was able to win another close game due to committing fewer mistakes than his team and not being able to execute late in the game. “I’m extremely proud of my guys, they battled like they always do, we just made a few too many mistakes,” said Lechtenberg. “We had opportunities to win the game, we couldn’t get it done, they did. I couldn’t be more proud of the direction we’re headed, but couldn’t be more disappointed for our kids that we weren’t able to find a way to get it done.” After CCSU forced a three-and-out on defense to begin the game, quarterback Brady Olson was picked off by D.J. Cureton. This set up the Rams at CCSU’s 27 where they looked to take a 3-0 lead on a 45-yard field goal attempt. CCSU freshman Christopher Jean blocked the Rams’ field goal try, leaving the game scoreless. On Central’s next defensive possession, linebacker Vince Thomas forced and recovered a fumble that got overturned. A few plays later, URI quarterback Hunter Helms hit wide receiver Tommy Smith for a 38-yard touchdown pass to give the Rams a 7-0 lead with 2:31 left in the first quarter. 14 seconds later, the Rams would score their second touchdown of the quarter, going up 14-0. The Rams came up with their second interception on Olson in the opening quarter as defensive back Emmanuel Gomes returned a 22-yard interception for a touchdown to put URI up 14-0. Looking to cut URI’s lead, Central’s defense came up with a big turnover when linebacker Malachi Wright picked off Helms with CCSU taking over at URI’s 48. Central’s offense piggy-backed off of the momentum. The Blue Devils used an eight-play 48-yard drive that was capped off by an 11-yard touchdown pass from Olson to wide receiver Isaac Boston. Central cut URI’s lead to 14-7 with 7:25 left in the half. As both teams looked to score again in the first half, both defenses came up with stops. CCSU had a chance to tie the game with a few minutes left in the half. Facing 4th-and-1 from URI’s 27, Olson had an opportunity to hit tight end Sean O’Brien to extend the drive and score a possible touchdown, but overthrew him with the ball being a little too high over his head. URI looked to capitalize on their big stop on defense with a touchdown or field goal on the last drive of the first half. Facing 4th-and-7 from Central’s 30, the Rams elected to go for it and were stopped by the Blue Devil defense. The Rams entered the second half with a 14-7 lead. After a CCSU three-and-out to begin the second half, the Rams got into Central territory and into the red zone as Grant broke free for a long 75-yard run after the Rams started the drive backed up at their own two-yard line. Two plays later, Jean made another big play for the CCSU defense, picking off Helms, and taking away the opportunity for URI to go up by two scores. The Blue Devils would tie the game at 14-14 a few drives later. A few big plays from Howard, including a 40-yard run and a 22-yard reception helped put the Blue Devils at the Rams’ six-yard line. Olson and Boston connected for their second touchdown through the air to cap the drive off, tying the game with 1:27 left in the third quarter. After being held scoreless in the second and third quarters, URI’s offense came alive, and put them up by a touchdown with 9:42 remaining in the game. On a drive that started from the Central 32, the Rams used six plays, capped off by a six-yard direct snap by Smith out of the wildcat formation to put the Rams up by a touchdown. On Central’s ensuing offensive possession, Michael Trovarelli (35-yard catch) and Howard (17-yard run) helped put the Blue Devils in a good position to score, getting in the red zone. Facing a 4th-and-goal situation from the 14, kicker Jack Barnum converted a 32-yard field goal to make it 21-17 in favor of URI with 4:47 left in the game. Looking to run out the clock, the Rams picked up two first downs before the Blue Devils forced a punt and got the ball back with 43 seconds in the game. With no timeouts and needing 80 yards to win the game, Olson was pressured on the Blue Devils’ first play of the drive, and threw a pick to defensive lineman Westley Neal Jr. With the loss, CCSU’s season ends at 7-6 (5-1 in NEC.) The Blue Devils had 12 players make NEC All-First Team (school record), and had multiple players win conference awards as well as receive national recognition for other awards. After the loss, Lechtenberg reflected on the remarkable season the Blue Devils put together in 2024, and spoke about how proud he was of the work they put in that saw them have the opportunity at an FCS championship. He expects his team to pick up off of their success from this season into next season. “Last night in my talk, I listed 40 different players that made impact plays and not one of them was All-Conference,” said Lechtenberg. “Football is the greatest team sport because it takes everybody. I’m proud of everyone. It takes everyone to try to make a chance at winning games. I’m proud of the direction we’re headed, proud of our administration, our fans, and our alumni.” “We still have a relatively young team, a lot of our better players are not seniors, we had a lot of really good senior players too,” Lechtenberg said. “Our expectations are to get better. This is not where we stop, we are headed in the right direction but we are not there yet.”

Letters Nov. 30: Carbon tax, McKenzie-Quadra corridor, Donald Trump

Why your favorite catalogs are smaller this holiday seasonCasey concedes U.S. Senate race in PennsylvaniaAlgert Global LLC Trims Stock Holdings in Albany International Corp. (NYSE:AIN)

Hyderabad: The exciting journey of Bigg Boss Telugu 8 is nearing its much-awaited grand finale. The show was supposed to conclude on December 15 but latest update has it that an extension is on cards and thus the finale is expected to take place on December 22. Fans are thrilled to see who will win the title, with just nine contestants left in the house. The remaining contestants are: They are competing in tough tasks to secure a place in the Top 5 and get closer to the trophy. This week will see two eliminations. Tasty Teja, Prithviraj and Avinash are in the bottom 3. In a shocking information straight from the sets, we heard that Tasty Teja has been evicted already. His elimination will be showcased in Saturday’s episode. On the other hand, either Prithvi or Avinash will be out on Sunday’s episode. Sources have it that Avinash’s wife is at Bigg Boss sets today, hinting that he, despite of winning Ticket To Finale, will be out from the show loosing the precious finale spot and making way for Prithvi. A post shared by BIGG BOSS 8 TELUGU (@officialbiggboss8telugu) Online voting shows these contestants leading with highest number of votes: Stay tuned to Siasat.com for more interesting scoops and updates on Bigg Boss Telugu 8.3 Solana (SOL) Rivals Priced Below $10 to Buy Right Now and Realize 6000 Percent Gains in the Coming 7 Weeks

Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) is Louisiana State Employees Retirement System’s 4th Largest PositionBAGHDAD, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- The Iraqi government has selected Vodafone as the operator for its national mobile license project using 5G technology, authorities announced on Tuesday. A statement from Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani's media office confirmed that the Council of Ministers approved the license for the British telecommunications company, assigning the Iraqi Ministry of Communications to move forward with the project. Communications Minister Hiyam Al-Yasiri told the official Iraqi News Agency (INA) that his ministry will begin negotiations with Vodafone to initiate preparations for the project. Al-Yasiri emphasized that the project will be state-owned, aiming to increase government revenue and provide improved telecommunications services to the public, according to INA.Student’s human rights complaint against Okanagan school district can proceed