In a report released today by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA), two prominent economists propose changes to U.S. and Canadian mortgage finance polices to prevent a future financial crisis.   The report is authored by Doug Peters, former Secretary of State (Finance) and former TD Bank Chief Economist, and economic consultant Arthur Donner. […]

 Founder of the whistle-blowing website Wikileaks Julian Assange will remain in jail for at least 48 hours as Sweden contests the decision to grant him bail. Assange was granted bail in a hearing at London’s Westminster Magistrate’s Court; however, Sweden filed an appeal hours later. Assange was granted bail with the help of former British army officer Vaughan Smith, who told […]

Food Banks Canada released its HungerCount 2010 survey in November. The report paints a grim picture of poverty in Canada and the continued growth in the need for services like food banks and other charitable food providers in our communities.  This snapshot from thousands of hungry Canadians and from hundreds of food banks across the […]

The man accused of feeding up to 26 bears near Christina Lake to guard his marijuana grow op made his first appearance at Provincial Court in Grand Forks today. Allen Piche has been charged with one count of feeding dangerous wildlife under the Wildlife Act [Sec. 33.1(1)].  Piche said that he has also just received […]

By Timothy Schafer, The Nelson Daily A move by Canada Post to “modernize” mailing addresses in rural communities in the regional district could be divisive, costly and time consuming, warns the RDCK’s chief administrative officer. Jim Gustafson’s report to the Regional District of Central Kootenay at their inaugural board of directors meeting Thursday in Nelson […]

Last May, the OECD put out figures comparing infant mortality rates in countries around the world. Perhaps the biggest story of all the figures were those attributed to Canada. This country has always boasted of its social stats — life expectancy, infant mortality, university graduates, and other measures of our success as a nation.   But not […]

Ten of Canada’s major newspapers, including The Province, have broken new ground in the digital world, launching innovative apps for the Apple iPad. “Walk into any coffee house in this city and you see more and more people enjoying an iPad break with their favourite beverage,” noted Province Editor-in-chief Wayne Moriarty. “We want The Province […]

By Timothy Schafer, The Nelson Daily The Ktunaxa First Nation council has thrown a wrench into the Jumbo Glacier Resort proposal approval process, says the assistant deputy minister of Natural Resource Operations overseeing the situation. Peter Walters said a decision on the proposal is officially stalled and won’t be delivered until early in 2011, at […]

Canada’s richest 1% are taking more of the gains from economic growth than ever before in recorded history, says a report by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA). The Rise of Canada’s Richest 1% looks at income trends over the past 90 years and reveals the 246,000 privileged few who rank among the country’s […]

NDP Leader Carole James mishandled the “Bob Simpson” problem several weeks ago ..and now that has come back to haunt her. At the time, I criticised James for having MLA Simpson turfed from caucus for publicly criticising as lacklustre a speech  she made to the Union of BC Municipalties convention. It was lacklustre.  But although he did not […]