Op/Ed

Ronald Allen Smith has the distinction of being the only Canadian on death row in the U.S. and, thanks to the resent rejection of his appeal by the U.S. Appeal Court, he is one step closer to execution.

Smith, from Red Deer, Alta, admitted to and was convicted of killing two young men in Montana in 1982. He marched the two young men into the woods by the side of the road and shot them both in the head at point-blank range.

Think about it.  If you could walk away with more than $32 million and only have to spend 36 months of your life in a federal prison (maybe even minimum security farm), would you do it? That’s almost a take of a million dollars a month … former investment adviser and convicted multiple fraudster Ian Thow has been alleged to have done pretty close to that

In the midst of the current economic recovery, families in B.C. have had to resort to exhausting their life savings and, in many cases, borrowing money from credit and financial institutions to make ends meet. For a large number of constituents who find themselves unemployed, under-employed or recently laid-off, this often means being forced to borrow against themselves in order to ensure that rent or mortgage payments are made on time, and that their families have enough food on the dinner table.

In the midst of the current economic recovery, families in BC have had to resort to exhausting their life savings and, in many cases, borrowing money from credit and financial institutions to make ends meet. For a large number of constituents who find themselves unemployed, under-employed or recently laid-off, this often means being forced to borrow against themselves in order to ensure that rent or mortgage payments are made on time, and that their families have enough food on the dinner table.

It's International Women's Day – a day I usually use to applaud the progress and accomplishments of my gender.

How cool that few would dare, any longer, refer to us as the “weaker sex” (at least not in our hearing), and that no one bats an eye when a woman's title is Dr. rather than Mrs. How wonderful to see women in Parliament and the Legislature (although look at the ratios – we're not there yet, ladies).

I love that I'm no longer expected to burn my bra in solidarity (bras are expensive and, as my colleague so aptly noted, we women need all the support we can get).

I must admit, I wasn’t at all surprised to read that MP Alex Atamanenko didn’t consent to the agreement that Canada and the US came to concerning the American “Buy American” provisions (MP decries “Buy American” deal – Castlegar Source).

After all, the NDP solution to the issue was to try and institute a foolish Buy Canadian Act instead of working cooperatively to come to a reasonable solution.

With Parliament prorogued, the Harper government has been busy wrapping up a last-minute and lop-sided deal with the U.S. on how to handle the ‘Buy American’ provisions in their 2009 stimulus legislation. With just a few days left before the bidding was closed on the $275-billionUS stimulus fund, 98 per cent of which was already committed, the deal was finally signed on Feb.

 You may not like or agree with the B.C. government, but you have to give them credit for knowing and understanding how to deal with the current state of B.C. media. With the help of VANOC and the 2010 Olympic Games,  Premier Gordon Campbell and his ministers and government officials have had  the B.C. media right where they no doubt want them: mesmerized by Games fever.

Shame on you Mr. Gordon Campbell!

Our children and those who are sick are being pushed to the side because you are unable to see anything outside of your Olympic blinders. You have failed the people of the province whom you are supposed to be serving, and for that you should be ashamed.

The Home Renovation Tax Credit (HRTC) program recently came to an end. By all accounts it was such a success that people are clamouring for the government to continue the credit for another year. New Democrats agree, and are calling for the credit to be maintained and enhanced to promote energy-efficient, green technology for home improvements.