OP/ED: When gender stereotypes become a day-to-day reality
Prologue: This column is loaded with sexual stereotypes and may offend some readers, which bothered me a bit while I was writing it. I realized, however, that there also seems to be a small bit of truth to most stereotypes (that’s what made them stereotypes in the first place). And that is, in my opinion, […]
OP/ED: Clark a poseur in a no-win situation
pos·er noun/ˈpōzər/posers, plural A person who acts in an affected manner in order to impress others a person who habitually pretends to be something he is not (Posers) People that try to pretend to be someone or part of some media ideal in order to fit in is “someone who tries to fit into a profile they […]
OP/ED: "Blanket thinkers"
One of my infantile leftist ex-friends recently referred to the Free Syrian Army as a ‘sectarian gang’. The phrase may well come from Asa’ad Abu Khalil, who seems to have a depressingly large audience, but it could come from any of a large number of blanket thinkers in the ranks of the Western left. I admit that I sometimes...
GOING, GOING, GONE: Sold to the Conservatives
The budget implementation act (Bill C-38), all 400 pages of it, was the latest in a long string of legislative initiatives to have debate limited by time allocation. Like too many other bills that parliament has been forced to fast-track, C-38 was bloated, omnibus and strayed in too many directions. New Democrats demanded...
LETTER: Proposed federal riding boundary changes need local discussion
Dear Editor: I am writing about hearings that are to be held in our area with respect to the way the Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission has decided to divide up the province between Members of Parliament. Hearings in our area are scheduled for Nelson on October 2, 2012 and Castlegar on October 3, 2012. None […]
MP calls for change in Canadian international military involvement
As Canada prepares to withdraw from Afghanistan in 2014, it is time to reflect on the future role of our military in the world. Our active involvement in Afghanistan transformed Canada into a “nation at war”. The tragic loss of 158 Canadian men and women to this war along with the enormous price tag of […]
OP/ED: On taking on sw-oobs and the junk in the trunk
It was exactly a year ago that I embarked on my quest for fitness. My goal: to be in the best shape that I had ever been in for my 30th year. I wanted to have endurance, I wanted to have strength, and most of all I wanted to feel good about my body. Before […]
Who are you: What story do you tell yourself?
I am currently facing a challenge in my own mind, as I confront a question with my granddaughter. Why does it seem important to teach children about the reality or falsity of elves, fairies, nature elementals , and other spirit beings? What should I say when she says “Are they real?” She also tells me […]
OP/ED: MLAs walk away with millions in pensions
By: Jordan Bateman, Director Canadian Taxpayers Federation With just ten months until the next provincial election, the lifeboats are starting to fill up as MLAs of both political persuasions look to leave the ship of state. That means one thing: millions of dollars in pension payouts, primarily funded by taxpayers. Dave Hayer...
LETTER: Area residents need to stop Ottawa/Elections Canada from further diluting our collective voice
Open Letter to West Kootenay Residents: It seems like the people who make decisions far away in Ottawa don’t quite understand BC nor do they understand the importance of physical geography in such a mountainous place. They look at maps with demographics and populations and what they have is an impression of where we live, […]