Kevin Falcon will not commit to a full BC rail inquiry
Just back from the Vancouver Sun live chat with Kevin Falcon, in which every question I submitted was given to Falcon except the last, because time ran out. So, what can you expect from Kevin Falcon if he were to be the leader of the Liberals, or worse yet–shudder–premier? He will continue to use and promote P3 projects […]
CEOs and the New Feudalism
Few developments in our era of savage capitalism are so powerfully symbolic of the new feudalism than the obscene compensation paid out to the new economic elite: the CEOs of the most powerful corporations in the country. The CCPA’s Hugh MacKenzie now reminds us yearly of this economic and social sickness by identifying exactly when […]
Tunisia: this is what victory looks like
The dictator, thief and Western client Zein al-Abdine Ben Ali, beloved until a few hours ago in Paris and Washington, has been driven from Tunisia. His reign was ended not by a military or palace coup but by an extraordinarily broad-based popular movement which has brought together trades unions and professional associations, students and schoolchildren, […]
How to deal with our economic and environmental challenges together
“The economy is a subsidiary of the ecosystem…The only place where the environment and economy are separated is in the human mind.” – Dr. William Rees, UBC Professor, Founder of the ‘Eco-footprint’ concept Perhaps the most foolish and dangerous misconception of our time is that we must somehow choose between the economy and the environment. […]
TECH TALK: Computer resources at your fingertips
First let me apologize for the sporadic columns lately. I just started a new job and the steep learning curve has left me a little short on time. This week, I want to show off a great website called Make Use Of. he address is www.makeuseof.com and it has free articles on all sorts of different things, most related to...
Fox News, US talk radio should have to answer
America is at war with itself. And anyone who watches Fox News or listens to US radio talk shows should not be surprised that another gunman has taken aim at his own government, his own elected officials or his fellow citizens. Being in the midst of what is going on, the American people have […]
ATAMANENKO: A year in review, part one
The past year has been an eventful one. In January the Haiti earthquake hit. My staff and I worked for days with Foreign Affairs, a School District and Mt. Sentinel School of South Slocan to safely locate, press for transportation assistance, and rescue a class of high school students caught in Haiti. In February, […]
Castlegar trustee responds to criticisms
Dear Editor, This letter is in response to (a series of articles and commentary in local media, inlcuding a letter written by Roland Vogel). Mr. Vogel, as far as I am aware, appears to be the voice of people in the Glenmerry area. He is fairly representative of the views of Trail concerning Trail’s place […]
Harper’s pipeline nightmare
What kind of year in politics is 2011 going to be? Very likely another year (or at least ten months) of gridlock at the federal level, with no sign of any so-called game changer on the horizon. A spring election is looking less likely as the Conservatives try to make a deal with the […]
OP/ED: Atamanenko reviews 2010
PART II: This past year, my staff and I had the privilege of assisting constituents faced with federal bureaucratic problems – unfair treatment, misinterpretations or just plain despair at not seeing any hope in their particular plight. For the most part, I find the federal public service is exceptionally professional, knowledgeable and helpful, and should not be […]