Recent comments

Ya the Good Ol' Days. Maybe it's time to kick start talks about putting a regional hospital in Castlegar . . . to serve the entire region?

Remember the Good Ol' days? Before the IHA and their armies of administrators? When there was full time coverage in Kaslo and 24 hour 365 days a year internal medicine and surgery coverage in Nelson? And it was all less expensive than under the IHA's heavy administrative hand which has caused many physicians to leave the area.

The IHA is a waste of taxpayer dollars. No doubt the administrators all got big bonuses again this year. And oh ya remember before the IHA when our administrators didn't get bonuses?

As we know there are two sides to every story just as there is to an editorial but maybe some background information is required. The Chamber last week initiated a meeting with very short notice that I was unable to attend due to my father having the Honor of Citizen of the year bestowed on him the same evening. It is presumed that the reason for the meeting was due to some concerns being expressed by some members over the previous weeks.

Monday the following week this matter was brought forward for discussion at our council meeting. We were asked to make some kind of informed decision on what was an appropriate way to address these concerns over food trucks.

As the Chamber represents a very good cross section of our business community and does so very well, had prior discussions with local restaurants and also organized the original meeting with respect to food trucks. I for one felt it very important to actually hear their recommendation on topics like fees and distances between established restaurants and food trucks in general etc….. However that was not offered to us by the Chamber that evening. Without that information the concerns that were expressed at their meeting were not available to all of council.

I think it was prudent for Council to ask for the opinion of an organization that most likely represents a majority of our community businesses that would be impacted by food trucks. If in In fact you do a quick google search you would see many Chambers are spearheading the amendments to Municipal bylaws in taking on this food truck phenomenon going on throughout out the country.

As I mentioned more than once at our Council meeting the City cannot direct the Chamber to do anything but I would think they would want to make sure there members concerns were heard.

Council will ultimately vote on whether to amend our bylaws or not regardless of a Chamber position but I for one would value the input of the Chamber in making this as an informed decision as possible.

Adrian Dix was not the right leader for the NDP.   He had very little in the way of compaign piz-zaz that a public leader desperately  needs.  The heading bobbing, swaggering gate that Dix put forth when stepping off a bus or walking onto a stage was a turn off to say the least.  He was not a good speaker nor was he an in the trench warrior that is needed from a leader of a political party.

The Liberals were a dead horse by  way of their history in this province.  From the devistation done to the forest industry, to the pawning off the tax collection dirty work to the municipalities any other NDP leader could have buried Christy Clarke's, Liberals.  Non of the above was mentioned throughout the entire election.  The NDP campaign was soft and non-confratational right from the very beginning.   Politics is a no holds barred competition where the winner takes all.  Adrian Dix was not a slap back leader.  A leader who demonstrates meekness will and did kill a political party. 

Like her or not, Christy Clarke won every round throughout the campaign.  

Murray makes some excellent points, but deep down inside he is still an NDP-er, and it clouds his judgement. This is the 5th election in a row which the NDP has lost, and they need to face the deeper truth: the days where the coalition of social progressives and unionists could win elections are gone. And no wonder, the party has not had a fresh idea since the days of Tommy Douglas, has no compelling vision for the future, is no more than a 'Liberal light' option for BC voters. But the arrogance of their supposed 'ownership' of progressive voters continues; the numerous attempts at cooperation by the Green Party waved away with disdain.

Perhaps after this devastating loss a little humility will creep past the armour of arrogance and union dollars. But I am not holding my breath. They didn't learn a thing from their previous 4 election losses, and most likely the roadblock to progressive government will just continue to do the only thing they do well: lose election after election after election.

I love the food at the Element and I also love the food at Twisted Thyme.  I was so happy to have another choice in this town where the options of quality food is limited.  The food truck offers something missing in Castlegar - quality food to go.  The reason people are going to these food trucks is because it’s what people want.  I feel that there is room for everyone in this town.  Places like the Element need to focus on the experience of the ‘sit down’ meal – great service, beautiful décor, an alcoholic beverage and a meal so delectable that you wouldn’t dare rush through it.  The Element and other  businesses might be feeling some pain because people have had to compromise their true ‘wants’ for what is available.  But I’m proud of our city for continuing to grow and being a more fun place to live.  We can create street food culture in this town. It seems to me that we have already started!  Castlegar needs to be a fun place to be to attract those tourists we so desperately want.  Tourists may come and eat at the food trucks for lunch, but guess where they might go for dinner? 

I would also like to point out that Twisted Thyme is owned by a resident of Castlegar and all of the employees live in Castlegar and surrounding areas as well.  The food truck is not only allowing them to make a living, but contribute to the culture of our town.  And I for one am thankful they are doing it because when I’m looking for food to go, I want quality and I want to support a business that helps my community.  And when the ownership belongs to someone in my community and not to a chain, I’m doing just that.

The food truck industry is booming all over North America - even the Whitewater Ski Hill has a food truck serving their cuisine now.  Perhaps the Element should open one up, travel around to surrounding communities and music festivals and promote our town and their wonderful establishment.     

...That is not the question.

When asked about their fondest dream, how often will people (often yonger ones) quickly declare "Peace on Earth"... however they can't even make peace with their brother and sisters.

The statu quo... the way that the senate is used is not an option. It might be very useful to reform or even abolish the senate. However this is almost like the pie in the sky dream of peace on earth.

Practically we should look at what is the main goal of that institution: "A sober second thought".

This means that all the senators should be only senators. It is inconceavable that the senate would just be a pale copy of the house of commons with the grouping of the participants under the same political banners.

A Senator should be a totally impartial person whose judgement will not be tainted by a close association to any political party.

A Senator should not be allowed to participate in any overt political activity (fund raising, campaining).

A Senator should be focussing only on giving a "sober, impartial, fair, second thought".

The lack of total, primordial and blind commitment to the political views of any political party, might make it less probable that some decisions will be so devoid of common sense. That truth will be distorded to make it fit as neatly as possible with the views of a policitical party.

That a few senators abused the system with an unshakable sense of entitlement is not surprising. To have received their posting, most of the senators have the type of connections at the upper level that is a fertile ground for that sense of entitlement.

This is not the major issue. The major issue is the interpretation of the facts or distorsion of reality to prove their point of view. The political parties who are given these free munitions to annoy the currently guilty party, are much busier at making as much political mileage of the situation as to get at the source of the problem. And of course the guilty party will do anything to make the problem go away while providing as little ammunitions as possible to the other parties.

I think food trucks are a great idea.  On the odd occasion I bother going out to eat in Castlegar anymore I'm generally disappointed by the mediocrity of the food at most places - not to mention the fact that many of the menus are pretty much the same as they were 5, 10 years ago.  If restaurants offered an exciting NEW summer menu, maybe the food trucks wouldn't be quite as appealing to people.

And even if they are, so what?  Food trucks can allow greater flexibility and creativity in their food than a brick and mortar place often does.  On the other hand, they have more limited supplies in stock and they have to make pretty much all of their money in the summer.  Yes, I know those are the fat months, but still, a restaurant has an advantage there.  If restaurants are losing business, it means they need to get more creative.  Maybe Florio should get a food truck, too.

Come on, grow up, people. No one said owning a business is easy.  You can't open a place, set a menu, then put your feet up until retirement.  Things change and you need to change, too.  Hey, maybe you just need an inventive taco menu.

With STV dead and gone maybe reform of referendums might provide more depth to democracy and participation.

Andre, the goverment pulled a fast one on the "HST" referendum by ignoring the 60% double majority any government requires for a referendum.

STV was lost through by the misinformation campaign run by the "NO" side and Bill Tieleman. Tieleman convince everyone they couldn't understand arithmethic.

Tieleman is NDP progeny.

The only party that chose a position during STV were the Greens. Their endorsement probably didn't help: characterising STV as a fringe cause.

STV would was been a huge improvement. Sad.

I have a picture that I took on Kirkup early May. It is a single set of ski tracks dissappearing towards the top of Kirkup. It is obvious from the tracks that there was about 50 cm of beautiful snow. When I looked back at the date of that picture I could see that I made those tracks in May.

Pitty that I can't attach it here

I've got no love for the Liberals—zero—but the map's pretty clear that whoever it was who came out to the polls in BC's rural interior, with the exception of our pocket in the southeast, they were swinging hard for the Liberals. Big, fat, money-grubbing, resource-sucking, democracy-deaf red all over the place...

A little proportional representation would go a long way towards dealing with tiny margins that turn into hefty majorities, and it might inspire more people to vote too.