COLUMN: From the Hill -- Greener Hydrogen?
My role as Natural Resources critic for the NDP covers forestry, mining and energy—and the big issue these days in that trio is energy. The pandemic has intensified calls for a national energy strategy that will direct federal investments to help us recover from the economic impacts of the crisis and put us on a good footing...
Local pro climbers raise awareness of racism and violence
Bouldering, a popular form of rock climbing, is trending in the West Kootenays like never before, partly thanks to the release of the area’s first Bouldering Guidebook. Rossland-born and raised filmmaker Liam Barnes films Nelson rock climbers Tosh and Tula Sherkat as they navigate the area’s biggest and most difficult climbs,...
Minister’s statement on Police Act reform
Mike Farnworth, Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General, has released the following statement in response to calls for British Columbia’s Police Act reform: “Everyone deserves to be treated fairly by the police, and our government acknowledges that for many Black, Indigenous and other people of colour, that hasn’t...
In-depth: Wildfires, deforestation and flooding
Water-repellent forest floors, soil erosion and a lack of tree cover all influence how snowpack melts in the spring By Natalia Balcerzak, Local Journalism Initiative reporter for The Narwhal The arrival of spring brought a surge of warm weather to Williams Lake, in the Cariboo region of B.C., and with it a rush of...
LETTER: Pandemic an opportunity to retool climate goals
Dear editor, The tragedy of this pandemic has inadvertently become a important opportunity for our society to slow down and think carefully about how we live. Before this event we were struggling with another deadly situation albeit one that is occuring much more slowly and is not as obvious or immediate in our perception but...
Letter from Dr. Henry explains why specific communities with COVID-19 positive patients won't be named
Open letter to the people of B.C.: When an outbreak hits a community, one of the most urgent things people want is information. This is human nature, as information allows us to protect ourselves, our families and our loved ones. Information is at the heart of public health: knowing what our risks are, where they are coming...
RDKB says: Please don't travel to secondary homes or cabins in the RDKB
Many residents from BC and other provinces own cabins or secondary homes in the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary, including at Christina Lake, Big White and other tourist destinations in our region. The regional district has a simple message for anyone contemplating visiting or staying at a secondary home or cabin in ...
April 1 BC COVID-19 update: Expect restrictions until at least May 1
In a press conference today, Adrian Dix, Minister of Health, made it clear taht restrictions will not be lifted until May 1 at the earliest, and stressed the importance of everyone's compliance. The press release issued thereafter is as follows: Adrian Dix, Minister of Health, and Dr. Bonnie Henry, B.C.'s provincial health ...
Report: Some COVID-19 patients remain infectious for several days after symptoms are gone
Information from a study of COVID-19 patients with mild cases, treated at the PLA General Hospital in Beijing, indicates that people should stay in isolation for a further two weeks after their last symptoms have disappeared. Dr. Lokesh Sharma of the Yale School of Medicine was a co-lead author of the report. He commented,...
Health Coalitions’ Joint Statement on COVID-19 and Public Health Care
The COVID-19 pandemic has laid bare the extent to which our individual health is dependent on the health of everyone in our community. Public healthcare is our best defence against this crisis and others like it. However, our ability to endure crises and care for each other has been eroded through decades of austerity budgets,...
