Boundary Sentinel

Canada-wide changes proposed by Canada Post that will see local mail rerouted from rural communities to sorting centres in cities have drawn the ire of local NDP Member of Parliament Alex Atamanenko (BC Southern Interior).

“This completely defies all logic,” said Atamanenko.

“In this riding, the result will be that some letters will travel over 1,200 kilometres, round trip, for processing in Vancouver on the weekends and back again prior to delivery on Monday.”

Issues like community risk assessment and dispute resolution took centre stage May 3 and 4, at the second meeting of the province's Industrial Taxation Steering Committee in Victoria.

Castlegar mayor Lawrence Chernoff, who serves on the committee, said the meetings are moving forward quickly as a result of tight timelines.

A public hearing this Monday, essentially forced by new provincial legislation, is providing an opportunity for city staff and council to discuss environmental goals and initiatives with residents.

The hearing, which will be held at the Community Forum at 6:30 p.m., is the result of new legislation passed at the provincial level.

My colleague, Nathan Cullen MP – Skeena-Bulkley Valley recently issued the following Op-ed which I would like to share with you.

Days after the Deepwater Horizon offshore oilrig blew up off the coast of Lousiana killing 11 workers, British Petroleum assured the public that they would contain the leak quickly. They were wrong.

The leak has now quintupled to almost one million litres a day. This is an environmental and economic disaster beyond even that of the Exxon Valdez. 

Youth court has, through sentencing five local teens, sent a clear message: “Don't burn stuff.”

This, after the five were arrested in connection with an arson blaze that saw the abandoned Woodland Park School burn to the ground June 13, 2009.

Castlegar RCMP Sgt Laurel Mathew said a tip from a local led to the arrests.
“An alert citizen has noted a group of five youths hanging around the school just prior to the blaze, and called police when he noticed the fire and the youths running from the area,” she said.

How many times have you sent email and never heard a reply? If the person at the other end is ducking you, there's nothing I can do. Sometimes, though, it's just a case of too many emails and yours getting deleted.

There are a few things you can do to reduce the chances of your message getting lost.

Step 1: Is it getting through? Try sending to someone outside of your company to ensure that there aren't technological problems blocking your messages.

Another Monday, and more than a million British Columbians head off to work: to earn a living,  pursue careers, provide services for clients, satisfy their own desire to contribute to society and share the stories and challenges of their lives with their closest co-workers. Lisa Reimer, however, is forced to stay home.

Kootenay West MLA Katrine Conroy will not be available for her official duties as a Member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia for approximately one month, beginning on May 7th, 2010.

Conroy and her husband Ed will be participating in a ‘domino’ kidney transplant in May, which will ultimately see Ed receive a much needed kidney transplant. 

Castlegar mayor Lawrence Chernoff and city manager John Malcolm are back from a day-trip to Victoria to discuss city concerns after the local forestry office was downsized, resulting in 15 local job cuts.

The duo spent Tuesday meeting with Minister of Forests and Range Pat Bell, as well as Minister of Community and Rural Development Bill Bennett.

The Castlegar Fire Department is facing a substantial increase in call volume compared to this time last year, according to fire chief Gerry Rempel.

“Our call volume is increasing steadily every year,” he said, explaining last year saw 114 calls by the end of March, whereas 2010 brought 152 calls in the same time frame. “And it's not only us ... it seems to be the case for police and ambulance services, too.

“It's a sign of the times,” he said. “The town's growing and getting busier.