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Ms. Elaine Kneeous
Jennifer is a one in a million stay-at-home mom. (More like one OF a million stay at home moms!) She graduated from a liberal arts college but there is nothing liberal OR artsy about her. She is married to Kevin Fischer of This Just In, and together they have a beautiful young daughter Kyla Audrey. In no particular order she loves dogs, wine, a good bargain, her family, pizza, and entertaining. Follow her blog of all things miscellaneous including but not limited to cooking and baking, entertaining and party planning, being a mommy, and homekeeping.
Culinary yes-yes #69
Knowing that generally speaking nurses are overworked and underappreciated, I wanted to find a way to thank Kevin's care team for all their kindness during his two-day hospital stay for hip replacement surgery. The best way I know how to do that is to say it with sugar. Sure, they're in the health care field. But what woman who's working a 12-hour shift on her feet would turn down a sweet treat?
I had to keep the treats fast & simple and they needed to travel well. (That let out my thoughts of red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting.) It would be bars to the rescue. Pressed for time and having only one oven, the choices were easy… First, a no-bake peanut butter & chocolate bar that instantly brings to mind one of these:
Next, a tasty little gem that has become a fast favorite wherever I take it. I discovered the recipe when I was providing all the desserts & party styling for my best friend's daughter's First Communion party. I've made them so many times since that I actually have the recipe memorized. You just can't go wrong with a cookie bar.
I had also considered making a couple batches of cookie cups. (Similar to these minus the champagne in the frosting.) The whole "stack-well & travel-well" requirement prevented me from doing them. But clearly it wasn't a long ingredient list that made me shy away from them!
I made the peanut butter bars first so that they could chill while I made the cookie bars. I was done in no time, clean up was simple, and I was on my way to making some nursing staff extremely happy. Foolishly I thought that one batch of each would be enough for a couple of shifts to share. I found out the next day that both containers were gone in less than four hours! I promised copies of both recipes to at least one nurse.
I must admit, part of me is always embarrassed when I share a simple recipe. Especially ones that use a *GASP!* box mix as the base. Generally when it comes to a layer cake or cupcakes I'm all about from-scratch baking. Even then, I find exceptions. When I made farewell treats for Kyla's half-day classmates (before she started full-time K-4) I simply used a box mix for the cupcakes. I figured four year olds really wouldn't notice the cupcake but would instead be interested in the swirls of yellow-and-black frosting with Bumble Bee toppers. I was correct.
My point is, there are times when I find it forgivable, even necessary, to cheat. Another time would be when pie crust is involved, at least in MY kitchen. I make terrible crust. I've given up. I'll take the roll-and-press from the Doughboy any time. Saves me the sweatin' and swearin' and yields a tasty fruit pie. End of story.
And really, I guess I shouldn't shy away from starting a recipe with a box mix if it can produce something delicious and enjoyed by the recipients. After all, you could make quite a name for yourself just by doctoring up a mix!
Using a box mix as the base of a delicious and appreciated baked treat? Try it out yourself and I'm sure you'll agree it's a Culinary Yes Yes!
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Kelsi Dagger Cyan Bootie
Sorry, this item is sold out!
Looks like you've got more shoe shopping to do - have fun!
Looks like you've got more shoe shopping to do - have fun!
Item # 256613
Be edgy in a subtle way with the Cyan from Kelsi Dagger! This suede bootie pairs great with leggings or denim!
- Suede upper
- Studded wrap around strap
- Round cap toe
- Pull on
- 1" block heel
- Synthetic sole
- Imported
- View more Women's Kelsi Dagger Shoes
By: Tammy1263
Location: salem oregon
November 09, 2014
"Love these boots! Look great with lots of different outfits. Great quality!"
By: StylinProfilin
Location: Bronx, NY
January 31, 2013
"WOW, i actually was having second thoughts about this purchase after i ordered them, and I attempted to cancel the order but they couldnt do it on time. Well i thought I would just send them back once i received them but as soon as i tried those bad boys on, I was convinced!! It was meant to be! I bought the black ones. Their super stylish and comfortable at the same dam time! I would def recommend these to everyone!"
By: Meggomyeggo2013
Location: Dallas Tx
January 28, 2013
Wouldn't buy again
"This are adorable but they don't zip up or close on the side so your feet are basically exposed. Adorable but so uncomfortable"
By: Cutebootz
Location: southern california
November 07, 2012
I wanted to love these booties!
"I love the look of these, i got them in black suede and they are beautful. Nice and easy to get on, which i was worried about without a zipper, but the problem with these is that they slip right off my foot, they dont feel 'held on' once they are on. too bad because i would live in these but I know i would have to shuffle my feet around due to the slipping of my foot out of the boot. I must return them."
Click anywhere to close this.

subset: commoncrawl


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For Reed Evins, design is truly a family affair. The Evins shoe brand was created by his father and uncle, and after 30 years designing for Calvin Klein, Isaac Mizrahi, and Ralph Lauren, Reed Evins began work on the evolution of the family business. We talked to Reed Evins about his irreverent, modern, and luxe Spring '09 collection, and how '70s fashion and downtown-chic style has inspired it.
shopbop: You come from a pretty renowned family of shoemakers. Would you say the Reed Evins label is an evolution from the original Evins line or something altogether different?
Reed Evins: For generations now the Evins name has become synonymous with sophistication, quality, and a strong American spirit, all qualities that the current Reed Evins collection has in common with the old. Our high-quality shoes are made in Italy, and we cater to a very hip downtown-chic kind of girl.
SB: Your family's line shoed the stylish feet of Audrey Hepburn, Grace Kelly, and Ava Gardner. Who is today's Reed Evins woman?
RE: Our customer is the hip downtown girl who's wearing fast, cool shoes. Not uptown, not classic or stuffy. We have made shoes for many celebrities over the years including Oprah, Sharon Stone, and Beyonce, as well as runway shoes for Calvin Klein, Bill Blass, Anne Klein, and Halston.
SB: SB: Tell us a little bit about your spring 2009 collection. What was the inspiration?
RE: The inspiration was rich hippie: Cher and Janis Joplin made modern and updated. Think Woodstock but richer, in textures of hand-dyed suede combined with chocolate nappa. Electric greens, fuchsias, orange and yellow, flat hippie sandals and toe thongs. The entire collection is also unlined, giving the shoes a great sense of ease and comfort.
SB: When it comes to choosing footwear, what do you think is the most important thing a woman should look for?
RE: Whatever the woman's taste is. But when it comes to choosing footwear, the most important factor should be fit.


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Skip to comments.Senate race solidifying (what happened to a Repub Senate in 2012?)
Posted on 07/04/2012 9:33:00 AM PDT by pabianice
Link only.
(Excerpt) Read more at realclearpolitics.com ...
Old numbers. The Supreme Court has changed things. Besides, in their toss-ups I see five or six states where recent polls have the Republican in the lead.
I think this explains Barry's obsession with needing more and more money for his "war chest". He knows that the communist DemocRATS are going to spend everything they have trying to hold on to the Senate. They don't care about the White House and the House of Representatives. As long as they can hold the Senate, communism in America will survive and continue to feed off of the system and America's treasury.
This is TOTAL agit-prop. No one believes this, even the NewYork Times.
With Kasich in Ohio and Romney ahead there, I think Brown will lose. I believe that Allen will win in Virginia. I haven't studied the others well enough.
McCaskill is toast in MO....by double-digits. I guarantee it.
Lmao. MO a tossup? Every poll has McCaskill down double digits. I quit looking when I saw that one!
So where does all this information used to make these determinations come from? I must have missed it and I looked all over the page for lins kto a story or outside polling used to come to these conclusions and I find nothing.
Worthless as a source of informtion as far as I am concerned.
I'll just this, at least it has some facts to use as a basis:
012 Battle for the Senate Could GOP be Poised to Retake Senate Montana Senate: Rehberg (R) 53%, Tester (D) 43% & Nevada Senate: Heller (R) 51%, Berkley (D) 40% & Missouri Senate: Steelman (R) 49%, McCaskill (D) 42%
This is a totally worthless RCP poll.
They throw in several wildly insane polls to get the results they want.
If they can find some RAT poll that has Obumbles up 115% -0% they average it in, and do it with a straight face.
"012 Battle for the Senate Could GOP be Poised to Retake Senate Montana Senate: Rehberg (R) 53%, Tester (D) 43% & Nevada Senate: Heller (R) 51%, Berkley (D) 40% & Missouri Senate: Steelman (R) 49%, McCaskill (D) 42%"
It's laughable that these seats are considered "toss ups." Incumbents that poll in the low 40's now are not going to win. The same is true for FUBO! The real problem the Republicans have to overcome is the fact that a lot of them are "feckless" jerks who acted like RATS when GWB the Worthless was in office.
I think you are exactly right. What is not covered by the media is that it seems to be every man for himself this year among dems. Now what Obama can use of foreign money is unknown, but Wall Street is not his friend this year, according to the Insider.
Senate dems can not appear with Obama and he has thrown them overboard, all of them racing for the same cash pool.
I wrote off Brown's chances for reelection the day he was elected in January 2010. I knew he would not ever get reelected. And nothing has changed about that.
But that is OK. He gave us the gift of breaking the 60 seat Senate supermajority for the year 2010, and as a bonus he kept a Democrat out of the seat for 2011 and 2012. From a state like Massachusetts, you have to accept the small gifts you receive from the voters. But we knew it would not last long. We may get another GOP senator in Massachusetts in another 20 years if we are lucky, but not this year.
The good news is there are several others states that look good for pick-ups this year, and I see a GOP majority as a result. We should ignore the liberal media's obsession with the Massachusetts race and concentrate on the races that we can win.
From July, 2010 :Democrats Jump Into Six-Point Lead on Generic Ballot http://www.gallup.com/poll/141440/democrats-jump-six-point-lead-generic-ballot.aspx. I guess you remember what happened in November, 2010.
It wouldn't surprise me.
Americans are some of the cheapest dates on Earth: our politicians are buying our votes with our own money.
Snowe will most likely give up her seat to Angus King, an "independent" who will be sure to caucus with the Dems.
I agree. It's all about the liberal media keeping the troops motivated.
if memory serves me the GOP fell shy of control of the senate in '10 when there were 22 senate races....i believe there are 33 races in play in November which means the rats have a heap of trouble on their hands...
btw- Nelson in Florida a toss-up??? also though i read elsewhere Tester in Montana in a lot of trouble...
That's not what I saw when I just visited the RCP page. First, it showed the current Senate count: 53/47 in favor of Dems.
Then it showed 47 safe Dems and 45 safe Repubs. for the upcoming election. When I looked up the eight toss-up states, I saw the following states with Repubs leading...
MA - Brown
MO - Steelman (assuming she wins primary; she's favored)
MT - Rehberg
NV - Heller
ND - Berg
WI - Thompson (assuming he wins primary; he's favored)
The two where the Dems are in the lead are:
FL - Nelson avg. +6
VA - Kaine avg. +.1
So, Repubs are winning six out of eight with VA being a statistical tie. At this point, the numbers look good for a Repub. Senate flip.
You have hit on the reason we see pollls such as the recent Bloomberg one which had Obumbler up by 12. It as phony as the day is long and they know it but the idea was to throw it in the mix and by doing do it pulls up the average.
To the extent polls are worth anything I'll stick with Rasmussen who uses a rolling 3 day sample and speaks to only likely voters.
btw RCP map sucks. Safe states and toss up states are very close color-wise. Makes map unusable.
Everyone should have a look at this:
Wayne Allen Root has it right. No one who voted for McLame will vote for Obama, and his "ethnic groups" are all having second thoughts about him. Any incumbent who can't poll close to 50% at this juncture just isn't going to be re-elected. The "undecideds" and the "independents" will not break his way either. If four years haven't convinced them not to be "undecided," they will vote for his opponent. And when you compare Romney to McLame, there is no comparison. Without Sarah Palin, McLame would have "really lost."
It's been pointed out in numerous other FR posts that RCP uses many questionable polls that oversample dems in order to skew their averages.
Even if the numbers don't change, I believe that Tea Party candidates have already sidelined some RINO Senators in primaries, so the quality of the Senate should improve.
Don't forget Nebraska. Fischer is up anywhere from 18-25 over Kerrey.
Wisconsin could vote Baldwin with far left views? No way her views reflect much of Wisconsin beyond Madison . GOP race to lose? Ready to attack a woman far , far out of the mainstream?
Poll analysis on Fox this morning: Obama has an 8 point lead over Romney among people who don't vote. Romney leads Obama by 3 among people who do vote. Interesting.
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By GARY ARRINGTONSports Writer
Last Friday night it was all Emery as the Lady Spartans ran all over the Lady Cougars of Union High School and left a message for everyone that this Emery squad is one to be reckoned with. Final score for the game was 67-32. Emery is now one of eight remaining teams in the 3-A playoffs.
Emery left no doubt as soon as the game began that they were not taking this game lightly. Union had a very difficult time even getting the ball to half court let alone setting up to run their offense. The Emery press was that dominating, as Union did not get across half court the first seven times they had the ball. Emery won the opening period 20-4 led by Camille Fehlberg with 9 points and 4 steals. Emery as a team had 8 steals in that opening quarter and caused Union to throw the ball away out of bounds seven other times.
Union had their only bright spot of the night in the second quarter as they outscored Emery 10-8 to trail at the half 28-14.
At halftime I commented to radio listeners on Roosevelt's radio station that Union needed to do two things in the second half to get back into the game. They needed to stop the turnovers and they needed to cut the deficit in half by the end of the third quarter. They did neither. In fact Emery only made it worse.
Emery came out after the half and continued their dominating defense, as they made sure that there would be no upset this year. Alexis Swasey had a good period with 7 points, a couple of steals and a couple of rebounds in leading Emery to a 21-9 quarter. Rachel Rasmussen was also key with 5 points and 4 rebounds.
Emery continued the onslaught in the final period with more tough defense and continued scoring. Emery won the period 18-9. Coach Gordon let his reserves play most of the fourth quarter and they played with the same intensity as the normal rotation.
Emery has three freshmen that have played a key role all season on the JV team with occasional wrap-up time with the varsity team. Frankie Komar, Jodi Robertson and ShiAnne Allred saw action in that final period and they themselves outscored Union 10-9. Frankie had 5 points, Jodi had 3 points and ShiAnne had 2 points. They should be key players for Emery in the upcoming seasons.
Scoring in the game for Emery were Camille with 17 points and Alexis with 11 points as they led the way. Ashley Hansen had 10 points, along with 3 steals and 3 rebounds, to also finish in double figures.
Rachel had 7 points, Callie Seeley and Shala Pitchforth finished with 4 points each and Meagan Pearson and Tahna Merrell finished with 2 points.
Coach Gordon really had only one thing to say after the game, "Defensively, we got after it." He was right. Emery caused Union to turn the ball over 29 times in the game. No team can win with a stat like that.
Emery not only took the ball away, they deprived Union from setting up any type of offense. Emery controlled the boards and most importantly everyone on the team was committed to winning this game and they played great team ball.
The only negative for the Spartans is the apparent loss of Natalee Hanson for the playoffs. Natalee's knee brace came apart a couple of weeks ago during warm-ups prior to a game and re-injured her bad knee. We were hoping for another comeback but I guess it will not happen. Natalee gave it more than most of us would have and is an inspiration to us all with her attitude and desire. She will now have surgery to repair it for good.
The Emery girls now travel to Weber State and play Pineview in the last game of the day this Thursday. Pineview defeated Emery 43-31 last December in Washington and the Spartans will no doubt be ready for the return match. Northern officials will not tolerate the tactics employed by the Panthers on their home court. Game time is 9:10 p.m. Emery is now 18-4 while Pineview is 14-8.


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U.S. Department of State Background Note
Sponsored LinksTravel reviews & great deals at TripAdvisor:
The area that is now Bangladesh has a rich historical and cultural past, combining Dravidian, Indo-Aryan, Mongol/Mughul, Arab, Persian, Turkic, and west European cultures. Residents of Bangladesh, about 98% of whom are ethnic Bengali and speak Bangla, are called Bangladeshis. Urdu-speaking, non-Bengali Muslims of Indian origin, and various tribal groups, mostly in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, comprise the remainder. Most Bangladeshis (about 88.3%) are Muslims, but Hindus constitute a sizable (10.5%) minority. There also are a small number of Buddhists, Christians, and animists. English is spoken in urban areas and among the educated.
Mujib came to office with immense personal popularity but had difficulty transforming this popular support into the political strength needed to function as head of government. The new constitution, which came into force in December 1972, created a strong executive prime minister, a largely ceremonial presidency, an independent judiciary, and a unicameral legislature on a modified Westminster model. The 1972 constitution adopted as state policy the Awami League's (AL) four basic principles of nationalism, secularism, socialism, and democracy.
The first parliamentary elections held under the 1972 constitution were in March 1973, with the Awami League winning a massive majority. No other political party in Bangladesh's early years was able to duplicate or challenge the League's broad-based appeal, membership, or organizational strength. Relying heavily on experienced civil servants and members of the Awami League, the new Bangladesh Government focused on relief, rehabilitation, and reconstruction of the economy and society. Economic conditions remained precarious, however. In December 1974, Mujib decided that continuing economic deterioration and mounting civil disorder required strong measures. After proclaiming a state of emergency, Mujib used his parliamentary majority to win a constitutional amendment limiting the powers of the legislative and judicial branches, establishing an executive presidency, and instituting a one-party system, the Bangladesh Krishak Sramik Awami League (BAKSAL), which all members of Parliament (and senior civil and military officials) were obliged to join.
Despite some improvement in the economic situation during the first half of 1975, implementation of promised political reforms was slow, and criticism of government policies became increasingly centered on Mujib. In August 1975, Mujib, and most of his family, were assassinated by mid-level army officers. His daughters, Sheikh Hasina and Sheikh Rehana, were out of the country. A new government, headed by former Mujib associate Khandakar Moshtaque, was formed.
Ziaur Rahman, 1975-81
Acting behind the scenes of the Martial Law Administration (MLA), Zia sought to invigorate government policy and administration. While continuing the ban on political parties, he sought to revitalize the demoralized bureaucracy, to begin new economic development programs, and to emphasize family planning. In November 1976, Zia became Chief Martial Law Administrator (CMLA) and assumed the presidency upon Sayem's retirement 5 months later, promising national elections in 1978.
As President, Zia announced a 19-point program of economic reform and began dismantling the MLA. Keeping his promise to hold elections, Zia won a 5-year term in June 1978 elections, with 76% of the vote. In November 1978, his government removed the remaining restrictions on political party activities in time for parliamentary elections in February 1979. These elections, which were contested by more than 30 parties, marked the culmination of Zia's transformation of Bangladesh's Government from the MLA to a democratically elected, constitutional one. The AL and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), founded by Zia, emerged as the two major parties.
In May 1981, Zia was assassinated in Chittagong by dissident elements of the military. The attempted coup never spread beyond that city, and the major conspirators were either taken into custody or killed. In accordance with the constitution, Vice President Justice Abdus Sattar was sworn in as acting president. He declared a new national emergency and called for election of a new president within 6 months--an election Sattar won as the BNP's candidate. President Sattar sought to follow the policies of his predecessor and retained essentially the same cabinet, but the army stepped in once again.
Hussain Mohammed Ershad, 1982-90
Despite a boycott by the BNP, led by President Zia's widow, Begum Khaleda Zia, parliamentary elections were held on schedule in May 1986. The Jatiya Party won a modest majority of the 300 elected seats in the National Assembly. The participation of the Awami League--led by the late President Mujib's daughter, Sheikh Hasina Wajed--lent the elections some credibility, despite widespread charges of voting irregularities.
Ershad resigned as Army Chief of Staff and retired from military service in preparation for the presidential elections, scheduled for October. Protesting that martial law was still in effect, both the BNP and the AL refused to put up opposing candidates. Ershad easily outdistanced the remaining candidates, taking 84% of the vote. Although Ershad's government claimed a turnout of more than 50%, opposition leaders, and much of the foreign press, estimated a far lower percentage and alleged voting irregularities.
Ershad continued his stated commitment to lift martial law. In November 1986, his government mustered the necessary two-thirds majority in the National Assembly to amend the constitution and confirm the previous actions of the martial law regime. The President then lifted martial law, and the opposition parties took their elected seats in the National Assembly.
In July 1987, however, after the government hastily pushed through a controversial legislative bill to include military representation on local administrative councils, the opposition walked out of Parliament. Passage of the bill helped spark an opposition movement that quickly gathered momentum, uniting Bangladesh's opposition parties for the first time. The government began to arrest scores of opposition activists under the country's Special Powers Act of 1974. Despite these arrests, opposition parties continued to organize protest marches and nationwide strikes. After declaring a state of emergency, Ershad dissolved Parliament and scheduled fresh elections for March 1988.
All major opposition parties refused government overtures to participate in these polls, maintaining that the government was incapable of holding free and fair elections. Despite the opposition boycott, the government proceeded. The ruling Jatiya Party won 251 of the 300 seats. The Parliament, while still regarded by the opposition as an illegitimate body, held its sessions as scheduled, and passed a large number of bills, including, in June 1988, a controversial constitutional amendment making Islam Bangladesh's state religion and provision for setting up High Court benches in major cities outside of Dhaka. While Islam remains the state religion, the provision for decentralizing the High Court division has been struck down by the Supreme Court.
By 1989, the domestic political situation in the country seemed to have quieted. The local council elections were generally considered by international observers to have been less violent and more free and fair than previous elections. However, opposition to Ershad's rule began to regain momentum, escalating by the end of 1990 in frequent general strikes, increased campus protests, public rallies, and a general disintegration of law and order.
On December 6, 1990, Ershad offered his resignation. On February 27, 1991, after 2 months of widespread civil unrest, an interim government headed by Acting President Chief Justice Shahabuddin Ahmed oversaw what most observers believed to be the nation's most free and fair elections to that date.
Khaleda Zia, 1991-96
In March 1994, controversy over a parliamentary by-election, which the opposition claimed the government had rigged, led to an indefinite boycott of Parliament by the entire opposition. The opposition also began a program of repeated general strikes to press its demand that Khaleda Zia's government resign and a caretaker government supervise a general election. Efforts to mediate the dispute, under the auspices of the Commonwealth Secretariat, failed. After another attempt at a negotiated settlement failed narrowly in late December 1994, the opposition resigned en masse from Parliament. The opposition then continued a campaign of marches, demonstrations, and strikes in an effort to force the government to resign. The opposition, including the Awami League's Sheikh Hasina, pledged to boycott national elections scheduled for February 15, 1996.
In February, Khaleda Zia was re-elected by a landslide in voting boycotted and denounced as unfair by the three main opposition parties. In March 1996, following escalating political turmoil, the sitting Parliament enacted a constitutional amendment to allow a neutral caretaker government to assume power and conduct new parliamentary elections; former Chief Justice Mohammed Habibur Rahman was named Chief Adviser (a position equivalent to prime minister) in the interim government. New parliamentary elections were held in June 1996 and the Awami League won plurality and formed the government with support from the Jatiya Party led by deposed president Ershad; party leader Sheikh Hasina became Prime Minister.
Sheikh Hasina, 1996-2001
Although international and domestic election observers found the June 1996 election free and fair, the BNP protested alleged vote rigging by the Awami League. Ultimately, however, the BNP party decided to join the new Parliament. The BNP soon charged that police and Awami League activists were engaged in large-scale harassment and jailing of opposition activists. At the end of 1996, the BNP staged a parliamentary walkout over this and other grievances but returned in January 1997 under a four-point agreement with the ruling party. The BNP asserted that this agreement was never implemented and later staged another walkout in August 1997. The BNP returned to Parliament under another agreement in March 1998.
In June 1999, the BNP and other opposition parties again began to abstain from attending Parliament. Opposition parties staged an increasing number of nationwide general strikes, rising from 6 days of general strikes in 1997 to 27 days in 1999. A four-party opposition alliance formed at the beginning of 1999 announced that it would boycott parliamentary by-elections and local government elections unless the government took steps demanded by the opposition to ensure electoral fairness. The government did not take these steps, and the opposition subsequently boycotted all elections, including municipal council elections in February 1999, several parliamentary by-elections, and the Chittagong city corporation elections in January 2000.
In July 2001, the Awami League government stepped down to allow a caretaker government to preside over parliamentary elections. Political violence that had increased during the Awami League government's tenure continued to increase through the summer in the run up to the election. In August, Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina agreed during a visit of former President Jimmy Carter to respect the results of the election, join Parliament win or lose, foreswear the use of hartals (violently enforced strikes) as political tools, and if successful in forming a government allow for a more meaningful role for the opposition in Parliament. The caretaker government was successful in containing the violence, which allowed a parliamentary general election to be successfully held on October 1, 2001.
Khaleda Zia, 2001-2006
Despite her August 2001 pledge and all election monitoring groups declaring the election free and fair, Sheikh Hasina condemned the election, rejected the results, and boycotted Parliament. In 2002, however, she led her party legislators back to Parliament, but the Awami League again walked out in June 2003 to protest derogatory remarks about Hasina by a State Minister and the allegedly partisan role of the Parliamentary Speaker. In June 2004, the AL returned to Parliament without having any of their demands met for an apology to Sheikh Hasina and guarantees of a neutral Speaker. They then attended Parliament irregularly before announcing a boycott of the entire June 2005 budget session.
On August 17, 2005, near-synchronized blasts of improvised explosive devices in 63 out of 64 administrative districts targeted mainly government buildings and killed two persons. An extremist Islamist outfit named Jamiatul Mujahideen, Bangladesh (JMB) claimed responsibility for the blasts aimed to press home their demand for replacement of the secular legal system with Islamic sharia courts. Subsequent attacks on the courts in several districts killed 28 people, including judges, lawyers, and police personnel guarding the courts. A government campaign against the Islamic extremists led to the arrest of hundreds of senior and mid-level JMB leaders. Six top JMB leaders were tried and sentenced to death for their role in the murder of two judges; another leader was tried and sentenced to death in absentia in the same case.
In February 2006, the AL returned to Parliament, raised demands for early elections, and requested significant changes in the electoral and caretaker government systems to stop alleged moves by the ruling coalition to rig the next election. The AL blames the ruling party for several high-profile attacks on opposition leaders, and asserts that the ruling party is bent on eliminating Sheikh Hasina and the Awami League as a viable force. The BNP and its allies accuse the AL of maligning Bangladesh at home and abroad out of jealousy over the government's performance on development and economic issues. Dialogue between the Secretaries General of the main ruling and opposition parties failed to sort out the electoral reform issues.
Caretaker Government, October 2006-Present
On January 3, 2007, the Awami League announced that they would boycott the January 22 parliamentary elections. The Awami League planned a series of country-wide general strikes and transportation blockades.
On January 11, 2007, President Iajuddin Ahmed declared a state of emergency under the Bangladesh constitution, resigned as Chief Adviser, and indefinitely postponed parliamentary elections. On January 12, former Bangladesh Bank governor Fakhruddin Ahmed was sworn in as the new Chief Adviser, and ten new advisers (ministers) have been appointed. Under emergency provisions, the government suspended certain fundamental rights of the citizens as guaranteed by the constitution and detained a large number of politicians and others on apparent suspicion of involvement in corruption and other crimes. The government has announced elections will occur in late 2008.
President--Iajuddin Ahmed
Bangladesh maintains an embassy in the United States at 3510 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008 (tel: 202-244-0183; fax: 202-244-5366). Bangladesh has Consulates General in New York and Los Angeles.
Despite serious problems related to a dysfunctional political system, weak governance, and pervasive corruption, Bangladesh remains one of the few democracies in the Muslim world. Bangladeshis regard democracy as an important legacy of their bloody war for independence, and vote in large numbers. However, the practice and understanding of democratic concepts is often shallow. The current government has banned all political activities and has yet to set a date for elections or its own departure from office. Bangladesh is generally a force for moderation in international forums, and it is also a long-time leader in international peacekeeping operations. Its activities in international organizations, with other governments, and its regional partners to promote human rights, democracy, and free markets are coordinated and high profile. In May 2005, Bangladesh became a member of the United Nations Human Rights Council.
Bangladesh lies at the strategic crossroads of South and Southeast Asia. Potential terrorist movements and activities in or through Bangladesh pose a potentially serious threat to India, Nepal, Bhutan, and Burma, as well as Bangladesh itself. The Bangladesh Government routinely denies Indian allegations that Indian insurgents in northeast India operate out of Bangladesh and that extremist Islamist forces are overwhelming Bangladesh's traditionally moderate character. It also denies there is any international terrorist presence in Bangladesh. The Bangladesh Government, however, banned a number of Islamic extremist groups in recent years. In February 2002, the government banned Shahdat al Hiqma, in February 2005 it banned Jagrata Muslim Janata, Bangladesh (JMJB) and Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB), and in October 2005 it banned Harkatul Jehad Al Islami (HUJI). Following the August 17, 2005 serial bombings in the country, the government launched a crackdown on the extremists. In 2006, seven senior JMB leaders were sentenced to death for their role in the 2005 murder of two judges. Six of the seven were executed in March 2007; another leader was tried and sentenced to death in absentia in the same case. In May 2005, the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) killed six alleged Indian rebels in a raid on a house near the border with India in north-eastern Maulvibazar district. In June 2006, army and RAB personnel killed 10 gunrunners, who media reports described as suspected Indian insurgents, in a remote forest in southeastern Rangamati Hill district. Given its size and location, a major crisis in Bangladesh could have important consequences for regional stability, particularly if significant refugee movements ensue.
Although one of the world's poorest and most densely populated countries, Bangladesh has made major strides to meet the food needs of its increasing population, through increased domestic production augmented by imports. The land is devoted mainly to rice and jute cultivation, although wheat production has increased in recent years; the country is largely self-sufficient in rice production. Nonetheless, an estimated 10% to 15% of the population faces serious nutritional risk. Bangladesh's predominantly agricultural economy depends heavily on an erratic monsoonal cycle, with periodic flooding and drought. Although improving, infrastructure to support transportation, communications, and power supply is poorly developed. Bangladesh is limited in its reserves of coal and oil, and its industrial base is weak. However, the country's main endowments include its vast human resource base, rich agricultural land, relatively abundant water, and substantial reserves of natural gas.
Since independence in 1971, Bangladesh has received more than $30 billion in grant aid and loan commitments from foreign donors, about $15 billion of which has been disbursed. Major donors include the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, the UN Development Program, the United States, Japan, Saudi Arabia, and west European countries. Bangladesh historically has run a large trade deficit, financed largely through aid receipts and remittances from workers overseas. Foreign reserves dropped markedly in 2001 but appear to have now stabilized in the $3 to $4 billion range (or about 3 months import cover). On January 7, 2007, reserves stood at $3.73 billion.
Moves Toward a Market Economy
In the mid-1980s, there were encouraging, if halting, signs of progress. Economic policies aimed at encouraging private enterprise and investment, denationalizing public industries, reinstating budgetary discipline, and liberalizing the import regime were accelerated. From 1991 to 1993, the government successfully followed an enhanced structural adjustment facility (ESAF) with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) but failed to follow through on reforms in large part because of a preoccupation with the government's domestic political troubles. In the late 1990s the government's economic policies became more entrenched, and some of the early gains were lost, which was highlighted by a precipitous drop in foreign direct investment in 2000 and 2001. In June 2003 the IMF approved 3-year, $490-million plan as part of the Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF) for Bangladesh that aimed to support the government's economic reform program up to 2006. Seventy million dollars was made available immediately. In the same vein the World Bank approved $536 million in interest-free loans.
Efforts to achieve Bangladesh's macroeconomic goals have been problematic. The privatization of public sector industries has proceeded at a slow pace--due in part to worker unrest in affected industries--although on June 30, 2002, the government took a bold step as it closed down the Adamjee Jute Mill, the country's largest and most costly state-owned enterprise. The government also has proven unable to resist demands for wage hikes in government-owned industries. Access to capital is impeded. State-owned banks, which control about three-fourths of deposits and loans, carry classified loan burdens of about 50%.
The IMF and World Bank predict GDP growth over the next 5 years will be about 6.0%, well short of the 8%-9% that they feel is needed to lift Bangladesh out of its severe poverty. The initial impact of the end of quotas under the Multi-Fiber Arrangement has been positive for Bangladesh, with continuing investment in the ready-made garment sector, which is experiencing 20%-25% export growth. Downward price pressure means Bangladesh must continue to cut final delivered costs if it is to remain competitive in the world market. Foreign investors in a broad range of sectors are increasingly frustrated with the politics of confrontation, the level of corruption, and the slow pace of reform. While investors view favorably recent steps by the interim government to address corruption, governance, and infrastructure issues, most believe it is too early to assess the long-term impact of these developments.
Industry and Investment
Despite the country's politically motivated general strikes, poor infrastructure, and weak financial system, Bangladeshi entrepreneurs have shown themselves adept at competing in the global garments marketplace. Bangladesh exports significant amounts of garments and knitwear to the U.S. and the European Union (EU) market. As noted, the initial impact of the end of quotas on Bangladesh's ready-made garment industry has been positive. Downward price pressures, however, mean Bangladesh must continue to cut final delivered costs if it is to remain competitive in the world market. Bangladesh has been a world leader in its efforts to end the use of child labor in garment factories. On July 4, 1995, the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers Export Association, International Labor Organization, and UNICEF signed a memorandum of understanding on the elimination of child labor in the garment sector. Implementation of this pioneering agreement began in fall 1995, and by the end of 2001, child labor in the garment trade virtually had been eliminated.
The Bangladesh Government continues to court foreign investment, something it did fairly well in the 1990s in private power generation and gas exploration and production, as well as in other sectors such as cellular telephony, textiles, and pharmaceuticals. In 1989, the same year it signed a bilateral investment treaty with the United States, it established a board of investment to simplify approval and start-up procedures for foreign investors, although in practice the board has done little to increase investment. Bangladesh also has established successful export processing zones in Chittagong (1983), Dhaka (1994) and Comilla (2000), and has given the private sector permission to build and operate competing export promotion zones (EPZs).
The most important reforms Bangladesh should make to be able to compete in a global economy are to privatize the state-owned enterprises (SOEs), deregulate and promote foreign investment in high-potential industries like energy and telecommunications, and take decisive steps toward combating corruption and strengthening rule of law.
The Bangladesh Army, Navy, and Air Force are composed of regular military members. The 110,000-member, seven-division army is modeled and organized along British lines, similar to other armies on the Indian subcontinent. However, it has adopted U.S. Army tactical planning procedures, training management techniques, and noncommissioned officer educational systems. It also is eager to improve its peacekeeping operations capabilities and is working with the U.S. military in that area. The United States gave the Bangladesh Air Force four U.S. C-130 B transport aircraft in 2001 under the excess defense article (EDA) program. These aircraft will improve the military's disaster response and peacekeeping capabilities. The Bangladesh Navy is mostly limited to coastal patrolling, but in 2001 it paid to have an ULSAN-class frigate built in South Korea.
In addition to traditional defense roles, the military has been called on to provide support to civil authorities for disaster relief and internal security. Since the proclamation of the state of emergency on January 11, 2007, the military has played a central role in the formulation and execution of key government strategies, including the anti-corruption campaign. The Bangladesh Air Force and Navy, with about 7,000 personnel each, perform traditional military missions. A Coast Guard has been formed, under the home ministry, to play a stronger role in the area of anti-smuggling, anti-piracy, and protection of offshore resources. Recognition of economic and fiscal constraints has led to the establishment of several paramilitary and auxiliary forces, including the 40,000-member Bangladesh rifles; the Ansars and village defense parties organization, which claim 64 members in every village in the country; and a 5,000-member specialized police unit known as the armed police. In 2004, a new police unit called the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) was constituted with personnel drawn from the military and different law enforcement agencies. RAB is designed to fight hardcore criminal gangs. Bangladesh Rifles, under the authority of the home ministry, are commanded by army officers who are seconded to the organization.
In addition to in-country military training, some advanced and technical training is done abroad, including grant aid training in the United States. China, Pakistan, and Eastern Europe are the major defense suppliers to Bangladesh, but military leaders are trying to find affordable alternatives to Chinese equipment.
A 2,300-member Bangladesh Army contingent served with coalition forces during the 1991 Gulf war. As of February 28, 2007, Bangladesh's 9,653 peacekeepers deployed around the world made it the second-largest troop contributor to international peacekeeping operations. Troops are deployed in Cote d'Ivoire, Liberia, Sudan, Congo, Ethiopia and Eritrea, Western Sahara, Georgia, East Timor, Kosovo, Sierra Leone, and Afghanistan.
Bangladesh was admitted to the United Nations in 1974 and was elected to a Security Council term in 1978 and again for a 2000-01 term. Then Foreign Minister Choudhury served as president of the 41st UN General Assembly in 1986. The government has participated in numerous international conferences, especially those dealing with population, food, development, and women's issues. In 1982-83, Bangladesh played a constructive role as chairman of the "Group of 77," an informal association encompassing most of the world's developing nations. It has taken a leading role in the "Group of 48" developing countries and the "Developing-8" group of countries. It is also a participant in the activities of the Non-aligned Movement.
Since 1975, Bangladesh has sought close relations with other Islamic states and a role among moderate members of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC). In 1983, Bangladesh hosted the foreign ministers meeting of the OIC. The government also has pursued the expansion of cooperation among the nations of South Asia, bringing the process--an initiative of former President Ziaur Rahman--through its earliest, most tentative stages to the formal inauguration of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) at a summit gathering of South Asian leaders in Dhaka in December 1985. Bangladesh hosted the last SAARC summit in November 2005, and Prime Minister Khaleda Zia had reassumed its chairmanship. In the latest summit, Bangladesh has participated in a wide range of ongoing SAARC regional activities. The head of the current caretaker government participated in the April 2007 SAARC summit in India.
In recent years, Bangladesh has played a significant role in international peacekeeping activities. Several thousand Bangladeshi military personnel are deployed overseas on peacekeeping operations. Under UN auspices, Bangladeshi troops have served or are serving in Sierra Leone, Somalia, Rwanda, Mozambique, Kuwait, Ethiopia-Eritrea, Kosovo, East Timor, Georgia, Congo, Cote d'Ivoire and Western Sahara, Bosnia, and Haiti. Bangladesh responded quickly to President Clinton's 1994 request for troops and police for the multinational force for Haiti and provided the largest non-U.S. contingent.
Bilateral Relations With Other Nations
India. India is Bangladesh's most important neighbor. Geographic, cultural, historic, and commercial ties are strong, and both countries recognize the importance of good relations. During and immediately after Bangladesh's struggle for independence from Pakistan in 1971, India assisted refugees from East Pakistan, intervened militarily to help bring about the independence of Bangladesh, and furnished relief and reconstruction aid.
Indo-Bangladesh relations are often strained, and many Bangladeshis feel India likes to play "big brother" to smaller neighbors, including Bangladesh. Bilateral relations warmed in 1996, due to a softer Indian foreign policy and the new Awami League government. A 30-year water-sharing agreement for the Ganges River was signed in December 1996, after an earlier bilateral water-sharing agreement for the Ganges River lapsed in 1988. Bangladesh remains extremely concerned about a proposed Indian river linking project, which the government says could turn large parts of Bangladesh into a desert The Bangladesh Government and tribal insurgents signed a peace accord in December 1997, which allowed for the return of tribal refugees who had fled into India, beginning in 1986, to escape violence caused by an insurgency in their homeland in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. The implementation of most parts of this agreement has stalled, and the army maintains a strong presence in the Hill Tracts. Arms smuggling and reported opium poppy cultivation are concerns in this area. Occasional skirmishes between Bangladeshi and Indian border forces sometimes escalate and seriously disrupt bilateral relations.
The ruling party views the Indian Government as a major benefactor of the opposition Awami League, and blames negative international media coverage of Bangladesh on alleged Indian manipulation. Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, however, visited the Indian capital in March 2006 and reviewed bilateral relations with her Indian counterpart. Two agreements--The Revised Trade Agreement and the Agreement on Mutual Cooperation for Preventing Illicit Drug Trafficking in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances and Related Matters--were signed between the two countries during this visit. Indian Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee met with Chief Adviser Ahmed in Dhaka on February 26, 2007. Mukherjee invited Ahmed to the April 3-4, 2007, SAARC summit in Delhi, and both sides pledged to put Bangladesh-India relations on "an irreversible higher trajectory."
Pakistan. Bangladesh enjoys warm relations with Pakistan, despite the strained early days of their relationship. Landmarks in their reconciliation are:
Still to be resolved are the division of assets from the pre-1971 period and the status of more than 250,000 non-Bengali Muslims (known as "Biharis") remaining in Bangladesh but seeking resettlement in Pakistan.
Burma. Bilateral ties with Burma are good, despite occasional border strains and an influx of more than 270,000 Muslim refugees (known as "Rohingya") from predominantly Buddhist Burma. As a result of bilateral discussions, and with the cooperation and assistance of the UNHCR, most of the Rohingya refugees have now returned to Burma. As of 2007, about 20,000 refugees remain in camps in southern Bangladesh. Thousands of other Burmese, not officially registered as refugees, are squatting on the bank of the river Naaf or living in Bangladeshi villages in the southeastern tip. Bangladesh and Burmese officials are negotiating a deal to establish direct road link between the capitals of the two countries.
Former Soviet Union. The former Soviet Union supported India's actions during the 1971 Indo-Pakistan war and was among the first to recognize Bangladesh. The U.S.S.R. initially contributed considerable relief and rehabilitation aid to the new nation. After Sheikh Mujib was assassinated in 1975 and replaced by military regimes, however, Soviet-Bangladesh relations cooled.
In 1989, the U.S.S.R. ranked 14th among aid donors to Bangladesh. The Soviets focused on the development of electrical power, natural gas and oil, and maintained active cultural relations with Bangladesh. They financed the Ghorasal thermal power station--the largest in Bangladesh. Recently, Russia has conducted an aggressive military sales effort in Dhaka and has succeeded with a $124-million deal for eight MIG-29 fighters. Bangladesh began to open diplomatic relations with the newly independent Central Asian states in 1992.
China. China traditionally has been more important to Bangladesh than the former U.S.S.R., even though China supported Pakistan in 1971. As Bangladesh's relations with the Soviet Union and India cooled in the mid-1970s, and as Bangladesh and Pakistan became reconciled, China's relations with Bangladesh grew warmer. An exchange of diplomatic missions in February 1976 followed an accord on recognition in late 1975.
Since that time, relations have grown stronger, centering on trade, cultural activities, military and civilian aid, and exchanges of high-level visits, beginning in January 1977 with President Zia's trip to Beijing. The largest and most visible symbol of bilateral amity is the Bangladesh-China "Friendship Bridge," completed in 1989 near Dhaka, as well as the extensive military hardware in the Bangladesh inventory and warm military relations between the two countries. In the 1990s, the Chinese also built two 210-megawatt power plants outside of Chittagong; mechanical faults in the plants cause them to frequently shut down for days at a time, heightening the country's power shortage. In April 2005, Bangladesh and China signed nine memoranda of understanding on trade and other issues during the visit to Dhaka of Prime Minister Wen. The opening of a Taiwanese trade center in Dhaka in 2004 displeased China, but the Bangladesh government moved quickly to repair the crack and closed the trade center. In August 2005 Prime Minister Khalda Zia visited China.
Other countries in South Asia. Bangladesh maintains friendly relations with Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka and strongly opposed the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. Bangladesh and Nepal recently agreed to facilitate land transit between the two countries. Bangladesh is considering importing electricity from Nepal and Bhutan through India to meet its energy shortfall.
Although the U.S. relationship with Bangladesh was initially troubled because of strong U.S. ties with Pakistan, U.S.-Bangladesh friendship and support developed quickly following Bangladesh's independence from Pakistan in 1971.
U.S.-Bangladesh relations are excellent. These relations were boosted in March 2000 when President Clinton visited Bangladesh, the first visit ever by a sitting U.S. President, and when Secretary of State Colin Powell visited in June 2003, as well as when Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld visited in June 2004. A centerpiece of the bilateral relationship is a large U.S. economic aid program, which totaled about $100 million in 2001. U.S. economic and food aid programs, which began as emergency relief following the 1971 war for independence, now concentrate on long-term development. U.S. assistance objectives include stabilizing population growth, protecting human health, encouraging broad-based economic growth, and building democracy. In total, the United States has provided more than $4.3 billion in food and development assistance to Bangladesh. Food aid under Titles I, II, and III of PL-480 (congressional "food-for-peace" legislation) has been designed to help Bangladesh meet minimum food requirements, promote food production, and moderate fluctuation in consumer prices. Other U.S. development assistance emphasizes family planning and health, agricultural development, and rural employment. The United States works with other donors and the Bangladesh Government to avoid duplication and ensure that resources are used to maximum benefit.
Since 1986, with the exception of 1988-89, when an aircraft purchase made the trade balance even, the U.S. trade balance with Bangladesh has been negative, due largely to growing imports of readymade garments. Jute carpetbacking is the other major U.S. import from Bangladesh. Total imports from Bangladesh were about $2.5 billion (excluding services) in FY 2005, up from the $ 2.1 billion in 2002. U.S. exports to Bangladesh (some $333 million, excluding services in 2005) include wheat, fertilizer, cotton, communications equipment, aircraft, and medical supplies, a portion of which is financed by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). A bilateral investment treaty was signed in 1989.
Another trade related issue between the two countries involves the export processing zones (EPZs). The government provides several tax, foreign exchange, customs and labor incentives to investors in the EPZs. One such incentive provided in recent years was an exemption from certain labor laws, which had the practical effect of prohibiting trade unions from the zones. The U.S. Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) law requires the beneficiary country to satisfy certain conditions relating to labor rights. On July 13, 2004, the government passed a bill allowing limited trade unionism in the EPZs effective November 1, 2006.
Relations between Bangladesh and the United States were further strengthened by the participation of Bangladesh troops in the 1991 Gulf war coalition, and alongside U.S. forces in numerous UN peacekeeping operations, including Haiti in 1994, as well as by the assistance of a U.S. naval task force after a disastrous March 1991 cyclone in Bangladesh. The relief efforts of U.S. troops are credited with having saved as many as 200,000 lives. In response to Bangladesh's worst flooding of the century in 1998, the United States donated 700,000 metric tons of food grains, helping to mitigate shortages. In July 2006, US Navy's hospital ship Mercy visited Bangladesh and U.S. personnel worked with Bangladeshi medical personnel to provide medical treatment to Bangladeshi patients.
Most recently, Bangladesh has become a valuable United States ally in the Global War on Terrorism. As part of the war effort, the Government of Bangladesh has publicly addressed problems of money laundering and weak border controls to ensure that Bangladesh does not become a terrorist safe-haven.
Principal U.S. Officials
The U.S. Embassy in Dhaka is located at Madani Avenue, Baridhara, Dhaka 1212, Bangladesh; tel: (880) (2) 885-5500, fax: (880) (2) 8823744. Hours of Operation: Sunday to Thursday (08:00 a.m.-16:30 p.m.), except holidays.
For the latest security information, Americans living and traveling abroad should regularly monitor the Department's Bureau of Consular Affairs Internet web site at http://www.travel.state.gov, where the current Worldwide Caution, Public Announcements, and Travel Warnings can be found. Consular Affairs Publications, which contain information on obtaining passports and planning a safe trip abroad, are also available at http://www.travel.state.gov. For additional information on international travel, see http://www.usa.gov/Citizen/Topics/Travel/International.shtml.
The Department of State encourages all U.S citizens traveling or residing abroad to register via the State Department's travel registration website or at the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate abroad. Registration will make your presence and whereabouts known in case it is necessary to contact you in an emergency and will enable you to receive up-to-date information on security conditions.
Emergency information concerning Americans traveling abroad may be obtained by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll free in the U.S. and Canada or the regular toll line 1-202-501-4444 for callers outside the U.S. and Canada.
The National Passport Information Center (NPIC) is the U.S. Department of State's single, centralized public contact center for U.S. passport information. Telephone: 1-877-4USA-PPT (1-877-487-2778). Customer service representatives and operators for TDD/TTY are available Monday-Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 12:00 midnight, Eastern Time, excluding federal holidays.
Travelers can check the latest health information with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia. A hotline at 877-FYI-TRIP (877-394-8747) and a web site at http://www.cdc.gov/travel/index.htm give the most recent health advisories, immunization recommendations or requirements, and advice on food and drinking water safety for regions and countries. A booklet entitled "Health Information for International Travel" (HHS publication number CDC-95-8280) is available from the U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402, tel. (202) 512-1800.
Further Electronic Information
Export.gov provides a portal to all export-related assistance and market information offered by the federal government and provides trade leads, free export counseling, help with the export process, and more.STAT-USA/Internet, a service of the U.S. Department of Commerce, provides authoritative economic, business, and international trade information from the Federal government. The site includes current and historical trade-related releases, international market research, trade opportunities, and country analysis and provides access to the National Trade Data Bank.
Revised: May. 2007
See also:


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text:
Debates of Nov. 24th, 2011
House of Commons Hansard #53 of the 41st Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was artists.
- Question Period
- Committees of the House
- National Strategy for Dementia Act
- Canada Pension Plan
- Stelco Inc. Acquisition Act
- Petitions
- Questions Passed as Orders for Returns
- Copyright Modernization Act
- R.B. Bennett
- Pathfinder Youth Centre Society
- Humber College
- Iran
- Shipbuilding Industry
- Affordable Housing
- Ukraine
- Ski Tourism Industry
- Yemen
- Grey Cup
- Access to Information
- Grey Cup
- René Maheu
- The Environment
- White Ribbon Campaign
- New Democratic Party of Canada
- Health
- President of the Treasury Board
- G8 Summit
- The Economy
- Justice
- Firearms Registry
- Justice
- Government Appointments
- Auditor General
- Justice
- The Environment
- Health
- Language of Work in Quebec
- The Environment
- Employment
- Health
- Aboriginal Affairs
- Transport
- Veterans
- Aboriginal Affairs
- Search and Rescue
- Lapierre Island
- Egypt
- Employment Insurance
- The Environment
- Presence in Gallery
- Business of the House
- Points of Order
- Privilege
- Copyright Act
- Privilege
- Copyright Modernization Act
- Improving Trade Within Canada Act
- Multiple Sclerosis
Copyright Modernization Act
Government Orders
1:55 p.m.
The Acting Speaker Barry Devolin
Order, please. I must interrupt the hon. member for Timmins—James Bay. He will have seven minutes remaining when this matter returns before the House.
Statements by Members
2 p.m.
André Bellavance Richmond—Arthabaska, QC
Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to highlight the 10th anniversary of the creation of CIAX 98.3 FM, a community radio station that plays an essential role in the community of Windsor and the Val-Saint-François region. Ten years ago, a group of friends, Julie Lupien, Jean-François Fredette, Gaétan Graveline and Patrick Lévesque, created this community radio station in order to enable young people to go back to work or back to school. With support from the community, they rolled up their sleeves and created a service that the community can no longer live without.
Over the years, volunteers of all ages have helped create various types of programming that meet the needs of the cultural, community, political, sports, education and business sectors, just to name a few. I congratulate the volunteers and creators of this radio station for their commitment to maintaining this communication tool, which is much appreciated by the listeners. Long live CIAX FM.
R.B. Bennett
Statements by Members
2 p.m.
John Williamson New Brunswick Southwest, NB
Mr. Speaker, some prime ministers have provided the leadership that makes our country great. One such leader was the Right Hon. Richard Bedford Bennett, a son of New Brunswick and a westerner by adoption.
R.B. Bennett was prime minister from 1930 to 1935 and was elected after campaigning to fight the Great Depression.
Upon winning office, he allocated aid to the unemployed and continued this with the Relief Act of 1932. He addressed the country on radio, promoting minimum wage, unemployment insurance, health care and the regulation of banks, all early examples of modern public policy.
Prime Minister Bennett created the Bank of Canada, the Canadian Radio Broadcasting Commission, later the CBC, and the Canadian Wheat Board, although membership then was voluntary.
Importantly, he signed the Statute of Westminster, making Canada fully independent and equal in status to Great Britain.
It is time that recognition be given to Prime Minister R.B. Bennett who achieved so much despite enormous obstacles.
I fully support the effort to have a statue erected on Parliament Hill to commemorate his contribution to Canada and call upon our government to join this bipartisan campaign. The time for a statue of R.B. Bennett is now.
Pathfinder Youth Centre Society
Statements by Members
November 24th, 2011 / 2 p.m.
Jasbir Sandhu Surrey North, BC
Mr. Speaker, youth gang prevention programs are critical for the future of our children and the safety of our communities.
The Pathfinder Youth Centre Society is an important organization in my community that helps at-risk youth by teaching them conflict resolution, personal responsibility and job skills while helping to build their self-esteem and confidence.
Cost-effective crime prevention programs like Pathfinders help our youth stay out of gangs and in school.
Unfortunately, I recently learned that the Conservative government will soon be cutting most of Pathfinders' federal funding.
The Conservatives' out of touch approach to crime ignores crime prevention and the safety of our communities. I urge them to restore funding to Pathfinders and support organizations like it across the country.
Humber College
Statements by Members
2 p.m.
Bernard Trottier Etobicoke—Lakeshore, ON
Mr. Speaker, I rise in the House today to celebrate the official opening of Humber College's newest building, the Lakeshore Commons, at the college's Lakeshore campus.
The Lakeshore Commons is the new hub for student interaction and learning. As the new campus centrepiece, surrounded by an academic village of nine historic buildings, this facility is fully electronic, built to LEED Silver standards and features the centre for digital and media communications.
The Lakeshore Commons will serve students in the schools of community and social services, liberal arts and sciences, media studies and information technology, and the business school.
The Lakeshore Commons received a Government of Canada investment through the knowledge infrastructure program. The Lakeshore Commons was built in less than two years and generated more than 600 jobs during construction and post-construction.
In Ontario, the Government of Canada is investing $800 million in 56 knowledge infrastructure projects. Our government has invested in innovation and knowledge infrastructure to set the foundation for economic prosperity.
The program is creating jobs and generating the advanced technological infrastructure needed to keep Canadian institutions at the forefront of scientific advancement and to ensure economic growth into the future.
Statements by Members
2 p.m.
Irwin Cotler Mount Royal, QC
Mr. Speaker, the presence in Canada of Mr. Mahmoud Reza Khavari, who has exercised a leadership role in Iranian banks that have been sanctioned by the United States, the European Union and the United Nations for their financing of Iran's nuclear weaponization program and terrorist activities, is most disturbing.
In particular, Mr. Khavari would have had knowledge of, if not influence over, transactions of such state sanctioned banks, including those with the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, which emerged as the epicentre of the Iranian nuclear, terrorist and domestic repressive regime.
Canadians are troubled, and rightly so, by the ties between Mr. Khavari and these dangerous elements of the Iranian regime. The government must take action to determine the exact ties between Mr. Khavari and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as well as the specific nature of his business with the Iranian regime and take the appropriate measures once the results of the investigation are known.
Shipbuilding Industry
Statements by Members
2:05 p.m.
Wai Young Vancouver South, BC
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge the immense contribution that our government recently made to the future of my city, province and country. After a fair, transparent and competitive process, the shipbuilding secretariat announced an $8 billion contract to Vancouver's Seaspan Marine Corporation. This announcement was met with jubilation across British Columbia. I applaud our government for its success in implementing a fair and transparent arm's length process.
As we have heard, this decision has been great news for Canadians, British Columbians and Vancouverites. By some estimates, our national shipbuilding procurement strategy will create 15,000 good jobs over the next 30 years, revitalizing our Canadian shipbuilding industry.
While the parties in opposition have no plan for growing our economy and creating jobs, our government supports job growth, delivering on our promise to create good jobs in high tech industries across Canada, and to provide much needed ships for the Canadian Navy and Coast Guard.
I join the people of Vancouver South in congratulating Vancouver's Seaspan Marine Corporation for its most successful bid.
Affordable Housing
Statements by Members
2:05 p.m.
Rathika Sitsabaiesan Scarborough—Rouge River, ON
Mr. Speaker, this week we marked National Housing Day. Safe and affordable housing is a major issue in my constituency and, sadly, is something that far too many Canadians go without.
In recent months, municipal authorities in Toronto have taken the steps to sell up to 2,356 public housing units in my constituency alone to address budget shortfalls, displacing 2,356 families in my community. Further, many of the residents in these units that are up for immediate sale were not even informed that they were going to be sold.
Safe and affordable public housing in communities like mine and the people who occupy these units have been neglected and pushed aside to prioritize budgetary concerns and deficit problems. Budgets are being balanced on the backs of the poor and vulnerable.
Today I call upon the government to take action to make safe and affordable housing a reality for all Canadians. I call upon my colleagues from all sides of the House to support the establishment of a national housing strategy.
Let us ensure that no—
Affordable Housing
Statements by Members
2:05 p.m.
The Acting Speaker Barry Devolin
The hon. member for Langley.
Statements by Members
2:05 p.m.
Mark Warawa Langley, BC
Mr. Speaker, in 2008 Canada's Parliament unanimously passed a bill to recognize the Ukrainian famine of 1932-33 as an act of genocide. The horrific truth is that millions of Ukrainians were starved and murdered by Stalin's communist regime. That genocide is known as Holodomor.
Last year I was honoured to stand with our Prime Minister, the member for Selkirk—Interlake, and Senator Andreychuk at the national Holodomor memorial in Kiev during Canada's official visit to Ukraine. The Prime Minister placed a symbolic jar of grain at the memorial and stood with Ukrainians to remember Holodomor.
The Government of Canada is committed to remembering the victims of Holodomor and to increasing international awareness of genocide and the dignity of life in Canada and around the world. May atrocities like Holodomor never happen again.
Vechnaya Pamyat, in eternal memory, to Ukrainians who perished in Holodomor.
Ski Tourism Industry
Statements by Members
2:05 p.m.
Blake Richards Wild Rose, AB
Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure today as chair of the parliamentary tourism caucus to congratulate Senator Nancy Greene Raine and her husband, Al Raine, on the lifetime achievement award they will receive tonight at the TIAC Canadian tourism awards.
Senator Greene Raine and Mr. Raine are two of the true pioneers of Canada's ski tourism industry. They were instrumental in the early development of Whistler Blackcomb and Sun Peaks Resorts in British Columbia. The senator is, of course, also an Olympic ski racing champion, who continues to hold the Canadian record for the most World Cup victories. She is an Officer of the Order of Canada and was named Canada's female athlete of the century in 1999.
Together, this couple's contribution to the development of B.C.'s ski industry and its integration with the broader tourism sector has helped create an unparalleled experience for visitors and tens of thousands of jobs for Canadians.
I applaud their contributions to our tourism industry.
Statements by Members
2:10 p.m.
Hélène Laverdière Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the people of Yemen, whose peaceful revolution has resulted in a deal that will see President Saleh finally step down after nine months of protests.
The struggle for peace in Yemen is not over. The president's family members ares still in key positions in the government and the military, and Saleh himself has been granted immunity. The regime still stands, yet an important first step has been taken. We call on all parties to respect the agreement.
On Tuesday I met with members of Yemen's opposition who noted that Yemen is entering a new political chapter, and they will need the help of Canada. Canada must now work to promote democracy in Yemen.
New Democrats stand in solidarity with the people of Yemen, and offer them our best wishes as they continue their non-violent struggle for peace and justice.
Grey Cup
Statements by Members
2:10 p.m.
James Lunney Nanaimo—Alberni, BC
Mr. Speaker, on Sunday afternoon Canadian fans are set for the football showdown of the year at Vancouver's B.C. Place as the B.C. Lions compete for their sixth Grey Cup, this time on home field.
After a slow start to the season, Lions roared back to win 11 of their last 12 games. Lions fans have had lots to cheer about watching our team finish first in the regular season and clinch the western final last week against Edmonton.
Under the direction of head coach Wally Buono, I am sure we will see plenty of offence from Arland Bruce, Paris Jackson, Geroy Simon, quarterback Travis Lulay, and field goal specialist Paul McCallum.
Vancouver Island Raiders alumnus Andrew Harris, number 33, has had a great season with the Lions, and thousands of fans from Vancouver Island will be cheering him on.
Lions are hungry. Fans are revved up. Look out Bombers. Go Lions.
Access to Information
Statements by Members
2:10 p.m.
Charlie Angus Timmins—James Bay, ON
Mr. Speaker, in the Federal Court of Appeal decision on access to information documents, the judge specifically warned against the ethics committee interfering in the work of the courts.
It is very similar to what the Parliamentary Law Clerk said warning against Conservative interference. Yesterday the Information Commissioner warned against Conservative interference.
If the Conservatives have truly had their road to Damascus moment when it comes to access to information, they need to show more of a true and humble conversion, and maybe they could look at their own backyards.
The Information Commissioner has said the Conservative ministers are a "black hole of accountability". She listed their failures as "off the chart" and a "red alert". The commissioner even calls the Prime Minister's own department as the "antithesis of the duty to assist".
We all know these out of touch Conservatives have one set of rules for themselves and one set of rules for everybody else, but I would suggest that they take a bit of a pause from their full out attack on the CBC, and begin looking in their own backyards and deal with their own black hole of—
Access to Information
Statements by Members
2:10 p.m.
The Speaker Andrew Scheer
The hon. member for Selkirk—Interlake.


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By: Jessica Holbrook
January 18, 2013
The deal is expected to close Feb. 15, following approval of Arrowhead's shareholders.
Based in Calgary, Alberta, Arrowhead specializes in 15-liter PET water bottles for retailers in western Canada. In November, Arrowhead outsourced all of its bottling operations to Ice River.
In the company's 2011 annual statement, Arrowhead said it posted sales of $4.6 million and accumulated losses of $4.8 million.
Ice River, based in Shelburne, blow molds bottles ranging in size from 7½ ounces to 5 gallons, and offers filling, capping and labeling.
The firm operates 10 facilities in the U.S. and Canada, including a PET recycling plant in Shelburne.


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By PATSY STODDARDEditor
Rep. Kay McIff is introducing legislation for amendments to water rights change applications. The bill is HB 49.
The bill modifies Title 73, Water and Irrigation by amending the requirements for a change application. The bill amends definitions, modifies the procedure for filing a change application and requires parties to mediate issues arising from a change application before administrative review or litigation; provides an option for court resolution of legal issues not within the purview of the state engineer; allows recovery of attorney fees under certain circumstances and makes technical changes.
Rep. McIff met with Emery County irrigation companies and interested parties to go over why he has introduced this bill.
He said the main changes to Title 73 Water and Irrigation is the shareholder shall prepare the change application. This change application is delivered to the water company before it goes to the state engineer. The water company has 60 days to respond. They can either consent to the change; consent with conditions; or decline to consent to the change application.
The packet goes to the state engineer. Within 10 days the state engineer sends notice to the water company. The water company is granted 30 more days to present their reasons why the change application should not be approved.
If an agreement cannot be reached the issue will be mediated and the parties involved will split the costs of the mediation. If the parties cannot agree on a mediator, then the Utah ombudsman may be used as an alternative mediator.
There is a 60 day period for the mediation to take place. This period may be extended to 90 days if proper notice is given.
If an agreement is reached the state engineer will proceed in reviewing the change application.
If the parties cannot reach an agreement then they have 60 days to file on any legal issues.
If there is no filing, or the matter is resolved and remedied then the state engineer will proceed.
The state engineer will rule on the change application. There can also be a De novo review in district court. The attorney fees may be charged to the party that has been deemed unreasonable in the process.
McIff presented the reasoning behind his changes and said they will eliminate stonewalling by water companies and will put all cards on the table; the new process will avoid litigation and will be a fair process to all.
Currently if a change application is prepared and sent to the water company and they don't respond within the allotted time then the answer is basically no and there is no other recourse except litigation. Rep. McIff said litigation is costly and small shareholders can't afford legal action.
He said the water law statute is from 1903 with only minimal changes in all that time. In 2002, 73-3-3.5 was added concerning change application procedure.
McIff said he believes the current law is an invitation for irrigation companies to do nothing with change applications. This needs to be addressed he said because it can leave people hanging for months.
If an agreement is reached and it's sent to the state engineer there is no guarantee he will approve it. He will consider if there is anyone being hurt if the change application is approved. The state engineer must publish a notice stating a change application is being considered. This notice will ask for anyone who disapproves or approves or who wants to make comments to do so. There will be an open comment period. Afterwhich, the state engineer will consider all comments and make his decision.
The part of the law that Rep. McIff is striking is what has local irrigation companies concerned. The shift in who owns the water rights, the shareholder or the company is frightening for irrigation companies. Current law states a water company shall make a decision and provide written notice of that decision on a shareholders request for a change application within 120 days from receipt of the request. Based on the facts and circumstances of each proposed change a water company may take the following action: approve the change request; approve the change request with conditions, or deny the request. If the water company fails to respond to a shareholders request for a change application pursuant to Subsection (3)(a) the failure to respond shall be considered to be a denial of the request. The water company may not withhold approval if any potential damage, liability, or impairment to the water company or its shareholders can be reasonably mitigated without cost to the water company.
Local irrigation companies believe the current law adequately addresses change applications.
Concerns voiced by those in attendance included water leaving the basin. Rep. McIff agreed that the worst thing for us would be to send our water to Las Vegas or St. George. Rep. McIff said Calvin Rampton a former governor of Utah said during his administration he wished he had been less supportive of development of water to flow into the Salt Lake Valley and more supportive of developing water where it is.
The concern was expressed of what the power company would do with the water they will no longer need at the Carbon Plant after it closes in 2015. The group did not want to see that water go over the mountain to Sanpete County. Rep. McIff said it is a big issue, but something like that would probably be litigated. There have been transbasin diversions of water in the past.
One suggestion to prevent stonewalling by water companies was to change the wording to say if the water company didn't respond in the 60 day time frame to a change application, then the change application would be deemed approved. Then so many wording changes would not be needed to Title 73 Water and Irrigation.
Craig Johansen said he sits on the legislative task force for water. They are not in support of HB-49. He said the Farm Bureau doesn't support the bill either. The issue is who owns the water right, the company or the shareholder? This legislation implies that the shareholder holds the water right. As you read the application it's easy for the shareholder to make an application and hard for the company to say no. It can go to the state engineer even if the company says no. This is a major shift in state water law and it will have a detrimental effect. There's a huge difference between Wasatch Front water users and those along the Colorado River. There are 200 million people drinking from the Colorado River. "We need to keep our water rights intact and not destroy them," said Johansen.
Johansen said the Bureau of Reclamation rewrote the contract for the water from Joe's Valley for PacifiCorp. The previous contract was for 40 years and 6,000 acre feet of water. The bureau tried to reach in and take that 6,000 acre feet of water and put it in the hands of the federal government. We need to strengthen, not take away. The power company owns approximately 30 percent of the water shares in each of the rivers, Huntington, Cottonwood and Ferron. That's about 30,000 acre feet of water. In value that's worth $1 billion. Under the proposed legislation, if large shareholders put in a change application to the state engineer there would be no protection for the irrigation company. If that happens here the entire Emery County economy would be destroyed. We would be walking on dangerous water. Pull the bill suggested Johansen.
During the last few years the Bureau of Reclamation has said they own the water right on BOR projects. The BOR has submitted change applications. But, under present law the water companies are required to sign the change applications along with the BOR. The proposed water law change application amendments play into the hands of large shareholders and they will receive the same privileges as small shareholders.
Concerning the contract for the Joe's Valley water for the power plant, the power plant owns the right to the water. They operated under a 40 year contract which was up for renewal last year. It was not renewed, but the current contract was extended for one year and negotiations are still taking place with the BOR to get a new contract in place. Instead of the BOR renewing the former contract, they rewrote the contract. They rewrote with changes that would place the BOR as the titleholder and take the Joe's Valley water out of the hands of the Emery Water Conservancy District.
According to the current water law concerning change applications an irrigation company is in violation if it doesn't approve a change application if there is no good reason not too. That provision is already in place to protect shareholders.
Rep. McIff said he is protective of the water companies. He sees the bill as trying to get parties to resolve things up front without litigation.
Johansen said good water attorneys have examined the bill and they see it as a major change that will shift water rights.
McIff said he is willing to make changes in the bill. Johansen said in our area we don't have the problem of stonewalling.
Rep. McIff said he is very sensitive in making sure what he's doing works. He doesn't want to create problems, but get the issues on the table.
Johansen said, "I think the current law is better than what you've changed."
Johansen said the water task force is made up of several major water districts from the Wasatch Front as well as rural Utah. There are several water law attorneys on the task force as well. The task force reviewed the proposed amendments to change applications by Rep. McIff last year. They were not in favor of the bill, they believe current law adequately protects everyone. They viewed the bill as a bad piece of legislation.
As the Wasatch Front has become more urbanized there have been shifts in where water is used. Water shares have been transferred all up and down the Wasatch Front and Weber as well as Utah counties. This has worked well under the current law. From time to time there is a problem with speculators who purchase up agriculture water and want to transfer it to non-agricultural uses, but for the most part the current law has been effective.
Rep. McIff said the changes in the law will not favor either side, but have both sides represented so it can get to the state engineer and let him decide. The right to ask is not the right to prevail.


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ASICS GEL-Phoenix 4 Performance Running Shoe - Mens
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By PATSY STODDARDEditor
Emery County voters took to the polls on Feb. 5 to participate in their first presidential primary. Utah became part of the Super Duper Tuesday phenomenon as they had the chance to voice their choice for the presidential election in November.
Deputy Clerk Carol Cox said on election day, they had been out since 5 a.m. preparing the machines for the voters. Fifty voters in Emery County participated in the early voting process where they can come directly into the county clerk/auditors office and place their votes. Cox attributes all the interest in the presidential primary to media coverage of the event prior to election day.
On election day, county officials were on duty all day helping the election run smoothly. Clinton Olsen took the voting machines to Green River and spent the day there helping the polling workers. He then brought the machines back to Castle Dale after the polls closed. The polls were open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. to ensure voters plenty of time to get to their assigned polling places.
Once the voters arrived at the polling place they could request a democratic ballot or a republican ballot. The democrats held a semi-open primary where independent voters and democratic voters can vote on this ballot, but Republican voters cannot. The democrats awarded 23 delegates statewide. The choices for the democrats were: Joe Biden, Hillary Clinton, Christopher J. Dodd, John Edwards, Mike Gravel, Dennis Kucinich, Frank Lynch, Barack Obama and Bill Richardson. Even if a candidate had since dropped out of the race, they were still listed on the ballot. Past democratic winners in Utah included: John Kerry in 2004 and Al Gore in 2000. Democrats campaigning in Utah this year included, Bill and Chelsea Clinton and Barack and Michelle Obama.
The republicans also had a semi-open primary where independents could vote and republicans, but not democrats. The republicans awarded 36 delegates statewide. Mitt Romney has campaigned in Utah. Those on the republican ballot included: Rudy Giuliani, Mike Huckabee, Duncan Hunter, Alan Keyes, John McCain, Ron Paul, Mitt Romney, Tom Tancredo and Fred Thompson.
The IT department and the clerk's office work overtime on election day to ensure the results are tabulated as soon after the polls close as possible. The voting machines were collected from each polling place and returned to the county building for tabulation. The data from each machine is downloaded into the mainframe computer. Brenda Dugmore, county clerk and Jeff Guymon, head of the IT department removed the computer card from each of the voting machines. The cards were inserted into the computer card reader which transferred the data to the mainframe computer program. When all of the computer cards had been read by the computer card reader the results were printed out. Others involved in bringing the machines back to the county building were Tamra Humphrey, Carol Cox, Mary Huntington and Clinton Olsen. The machines are put back into storage after each use where they are kept under lock and key.
The resolution committee is made up of Shaunnie Price, Stacie Decker and Diane Bott, they are responsible for examining and counting all absentee ballots.
Emery County had a 31 percent voter turnout with 1,970 ballots cast. In the republican contest: Giuliani received 6 votes; Hucabee 49; Hunter, 4; Keyes 2; McCain, 118; Paul, 22; Romney 1,363; Thompson, 8; Romney led the republicans with 86.70 percent of the Emery County vote.
In the democratic side of the race, Biden, 2 votes; Clinton, 170; Dodd, 1; Edwards, 24; Lynch, 1; Obama, 188; Richardson, 2; Obama let the democrats in Emery County taking 48.45 percent of the vote to Clinton's 43.81 percent.
Statewide Romney was the winner on the republican side and Obama on the democratic side.


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Cassandra Krenz has seen all kinds of critters in her career.
The veterinarian has worked with large animals like cows and horses, as well as birds, small animals and of course house pets like cats and dogs.
Now she's started her own practice, Pueblo West Vet Clinic.
Being a veterinarian is a "life-long" calling for Krenz, and she's excited to be doing it on her own now.
"I was a kid who liked animals," she said.
"My sister is an MD, and I watched her go through med school and knew I didn't want to do that, so being a vet just fit. Ever since I was probably in grade school!"
Krenz graduated from Iowa State University and spent a year doing emergency veterinary work.
Then, she worked in a rural practice for about five years, where there were lots of large animals.
"I decided I'd like to get a little more metropolitan, and my sister had been in Pueblo 20 years, so we decided to move here," Krenz said.
She worked for Markway's Animal Medical Center in Pueblo West until December when she decided it was time to either buy out a practice or start up her own. She found the space for rent and started putting down her roots.
"I've done a whole lot of things," Krenz said.
"Emergency is very different, and rural mixed animal practice is different. Here, we see mostly dogs and cats so far and I'm open to seeing some of the pocket pets and the avian."
Krenz said she's honest with clients if a pet is out of her comfort zone and will help to find an appropriate veterinarian for that animal.
Because she's been in Pueblo West nearly six years, she had many families that already knew her, so Pueblo West seemed like a logical place to start her practice.
Plus, her family is established in the community as well, so it is home.
Krenz said veterinary medicine is just what she was cut out to do, and she loves that it keeps her busy all day long.
"It's one of those things where I could be doing something different everyday," she said.
"The variety is nice. It's also a lot of intrigue, because they can't talk, so every animal is potentially a puzzle!"
Pueblo West Vet Clinic is a full service animal hospital and can take urgent issues, as well.
Krenz said she is still stem cell certified (something she trained and certified for while at Markway's), so she can offer those types of services. Additionally, she'd like to eventually looking into a veterinary chiropractic license as well.
"That's just another way to deal with chronic pain in animals, not a pharmaceutical way," she said.
Pueblo West Vet Clinic is open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and on Wednesdays from noon until 8 p.m., giving an option for people who need a later appointment time. Currently the clinic is open every other Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon.
The clinic is located in the Safeway shopping center, at 1021 N. Market Plaza, Suite 111. Pueblo West Vet Clinic can be reached at 547-3565 or online at www.PWvet.com.
© Copyright 2016 The Pueblo Chieftain & Star Journal Publishing Corp. All rights reserved.


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Teodoro Vidal Collection of Puerto Rican History
Explore Puerto Rico's history, from the 16th to the 20th centuries, through the eyes of collector Teodoro Vidal. Vidal captured the island's history by collecting thousands of objects. Over 80 artifacts are featured here.
"Teodoro Vidal Collection of Puerto Rican History - Introduction" showing 1 items.
Carpenter's Tools
- Description
- Pictured here are a carpenter's hammer and square. Carpentry was considered both skilled and semi-skilled labor. Many carpenters worked independently and traveled the countryside looking for work opportunities.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Date made
- 20th century
- ID Number
- 1997.0097.1130
- accession number
- 1997.0097
- catalog number
- 1997.0097.1130
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center