LETTER: Glowing commendation for Safeway managers
I wish to express my heartfelt appreciation and gratitude to Erica (Gregory), the pharmacy manager and Brian (Bogle), the store manager, of our local Safeway in Castlegar for going above and beyond expectations. Due to human error, a component of my medication, which is vital to my well being and life, was not delivered to ...
LETTER: Resident less-than-pleased with city's new garbage collection
So, what is everyone's honest opinion of Castlegar's new garbage bins and method of collection? I rent, so I don't even have my bin as of yet and garbage collection is this coming Wednesday. My landlords have requested one. I don't have anywhere to keep my garbage. If I put my old garbage can on the front patio, it is available...
Letter: Refugees
Honourable Minister McCallum, The West Kootenay Friends of Refugees agreed to sponsor a Syrian family of four, through the BVOR program, on Jan.6/16. As you are probably well aware, this is an exciting commitment for dozens of people in any sponsoring community. We have spent countless hours fundraising and preparing the community of Rossland BC to welcome this […]
LETTER: School Buses and Jobs
Dear Editor, This week, all School District #20 employees received an email from our superintendent delineating another example of our government manipulating funding formulas to extract every possible penny from Boards of Education. Our School District's 2016/2017 projected budget deficit increased from $650,000 to $950,000...
LETTER: Castlegar & District Hospital Foundation needs you, and serves you
“Your Donation Boomerangs Back To You” – what does that mean? We don’t have a hospital anymore! We did before! This was overheard being said in frustration by a person as they passed the elevator in the Castlegar & District Community Health Centre. I assume that this person was on their way to get bloodwork done, or an ...
OP/ED: West Kootenay Labour Council calls for action on missing/murdered Aboriginal women
“March 8 is International Women’s Day (IWD) and this year we are hopeful that justice for Indigenous Women will move forward with the government’s announcement of the long awaited inquiry on missing and murdered aboriginal women,” said Debbie Bird, President of the West Kootenay Labour Council. “Every year women and men around...
Letter: Lot of work ahead for Canadians
To The Editor: Canada drew upon its compassion during the Paris Climate Summit. Knowing that if our carbon emissions continue unchanged, some of the earliest and most tangible consequences are to island nations in the southern hemisphere. They will be overwhelmed by the rising sea level, lives and livelihoods lost, and so ...
Open Letter to Premier Christy Clark
To The Editor: January 8, 2016 Premier Christy Clark PO Box 9041 Stn Prov Govt Victoria, BC V8W 9E1 Dear Premier Clark: The Province’s upcoming submission to the National Energy Board regarding Kinder Morgan’s TransMountain proposal provides an opportunity for your government to show leadership on B.C.’s economic and...
LETTER: B.C. needs to fix its record of brutal inaction on poverty policy
Dear Editor, In response to Deb McIntosh’s recent letter re: the Community Harvest Food Bank’s struggles to assist families and individuals living in poverty, we suggest it is high time that our wealthy province makes some meaningful policy changes so that the families of one in five children in BC don’t have to be dependent...
LETTER: Calendar conundrum confounds contributor
As Black Friday looms followed by the impending Christmas season, I begin to worry about my days. I am fully in support of various causes and events of awareness but our 24 hour slots are quickly being consumed by ‘special days’. Failing to stem the tide, we risk finding ourselves with a day shortage. Cyber […]